Making changes to a business critical software program like the ERP system also takes time. This can slow down or even temporarily halt business productivity, which can indirectly cost a company even more money. As a result, many companies would rather find workarounds than actual solutions, even if those workarounds are convoluted and require employees to jump through hoops to get their jobs done correctly. As those workaround pile up, businesses eventually find themselves in a quagmire that is difficult to escape.

Not all businesses have this problem. Those that have chosen ERP systems with customizable features and flexibility to meet industry specific business requirements enjoy the peace of mind of having precisely what they want without having to pay a fortune to get it.  This is the case with Microsoft Dynamics GP.

Customers using Microsoft Dynamics GP have a wide range of customization options at their disposal.  Microsoft Dynamics GP is built on the highly flexible SQL platform and has several customization tools available. An experienced Microsoft Dynamics GP partner can find often find ways to adjust the system and stay within a realistic budget.

If you are looking for some specific functionality that is not in the system, you don’t necessarily need to resort to customization. Stay away from that source code. It would likely be much less expensive, and much safer, to choose from one of the hundreds of Independent Software Vendor (ISV) partners for Microsoft Dynamics GP. These companies write add on products designed to enhance the system, so that it exactly fits your needs. If you want to do it, chances are someone else has wanted to do it too.

If you are tired of workarounds and want a flexible accounting/ERP system that works the way you want it to, contact us at REACH-Solutions at (501) 664-1180.

By REACH-Solutions, Arkansas Microsoft Dynamics GP Partner

More than Half of Midsized Companies Cannot Afford to Change ERP Software – What is the Solution? is a post from: ERP Software Blog

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Far too many of those companies installed ERP systems they hoped would turn their companies around only to suffer through the financial burden of implementation with no quantifiable benefits.  When they hit such a wall, they often pack up and look for a new ERP system, starting the process all over again.

Without a doubt, there are situations where businesses have been hanging on to legacy ERP systems for years, and an upgrade or completely new system just makes sense.  When that is not true, however, it is best to step back and ask yourself a couple questions about your ERP system and your business in general.

Is your ERP system really the problem? – While it can be a convenient scapegoat, you may be missing the bigger picture.  If you are going to evaluate your ERP software, you also should evaluate how your business uses it and how effectively your employees utilize its resources.

 Is your ERP system current? - It might have held up the world in 1995, but the rest of the world has moved on and upgraded several times since then.  Many of your problems may stem from the lack of compatibility with your more current software and the outdated tools that do not fit current business trends. You may be due for an upgrade rather than a replacement.

 It is sometimes difficult to know when the time is right for change, and actually reaching the point where you take the first step toward change can be daunting.  REACH-Solutions can help. Since 1995 REACH-Solutions has assisted Arkansas businesses to navigate the complex process of selecting and implementing business management software. We can give you an honest evaluation of your current system and processes and recommend that first step.  Or if you are using an outdated version of Microsoft Dynamics GP, Microsoft Dynamics SL or Microsoft Dynamics RMS we can help you get the most out of your existing system with the current version.

By REACH-Solutions, Arkansas Microsoft Dynamics GP, SL, RMS Partner

When is The Best Time to Replace or Revamp Your ERP Software System? is a post from: ERP Software Blog

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We analyzed the work she was doing and determined that we could do almost all of it with FRx. Now, her company has tasked us to recreate and improve these reports. As you may know, Management Reporter replaced FRx in Dynamics GP 2010. When she moves to Dynamics GP 2010, we’ll migrate her FRx reports to Management Report using the Migration Wizard. Several other reports will be replaced by simply connecting Excel to Dynamics GP via ODBC.

In addition, her new reports will provide complete drilldown from the financial statement to the General Ledger detail and even the source transaction! She sure didn’t have that before!!

We know we can save her at least 25 hours per month! And, his strategy is delivered with “out of the box” functionality. Microsoft continues to set the curve by enabling customers to manage their businesses!

By REACH-Solutions – Arkansas Microsoft Dynamics Partner

How to save 30 hours per month producing Financial Reports with Microsoft Dynamics GP 2010 is a post from: ERP Software Blog

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Assigning Named Printers is also easy! To setup Named Printers, open the Named Printers window—to open this window, click Microsoft Dynamics GP menu >> Tools >> Setup >> System >> Named Printers.

When accessing the Named Printers feature for the first time, you will be asked to enter a Machine ID and de-fault printer information in the Named Printer Options window. Enter the Computer name of your machine here (this can be found by navigating to the Windows Control Panel and opening the System window). The Setup Named Printers window opens. Click Assign to open the Assign Named Printers window used to assign printers to specific tasks, and to typically assign an individual printer for a specific Microsoft Dynamics GP task.

For example, in Payables Management many people use a dedicated check printer. Instead of switching printer output at the time of processing, the printer for the check printing process is predefined in Named Printers. This helps to eliminate mistakes since the correct printer is set to use defaults for the assigned task. Also, the number of copies to print or specific trays can be designated.

Printers can also be defined for each user and company within Microsoft Dynamics GP, making printing errors less likely and simplifying the reporting processes. For additional information on setting up application printers, consult the System Manager print manual available from the Help menu in Microsoft Dynamics GP, or contact your local Dynamics GP Partner.

By REACH-Solutions – Arkansas Microsoft Dynamics GP Partner

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CustomerSource features include: a searchable technical support database, electronic support tools, support history, unlimited online training, software updates and downloads, documentation, newsgroups, news/newsletters, product announcements and information, online registration keys and account management.

Microsoft has developed an online tour of CustomerSource so customers can learn how to be more productive with their Microsoft Dynamics solution by accessing the benefits of their Microsoft service plan. To view the tour online and learn more about how customers benefit from CustomerSource, click here.

By REACH-Solutions – Arkansas Microsoft Dynamics Partner

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But where should you cut, and where should you invest to safely pilot your company through these tumultuous economic waters? Remember—don’t short change strategic IT investments.

The crisis is creating new challenges for corporate officers and other business decision makers. The kneejerk reaction to cut spending across the board, however, can be counter-productive when it comes to reducing risks during economic slumps. Instead, strategic investments in specific areas can actually cut costs as they improve operational efficiencies, personal performance, and customer service.

In fact, according to a recent McGraw-Hill study, companies that continue strategic spending not only outperformed non-spenders during a recession, but also experienced revenue growth of 275% during the first full year of recovery!

Evaluate ERP and CRM solutions

Business information technologies are a perfect example of IT investments that you can turn to for resilience during economic hard times. With careful selection and experienced implementation, solutions for Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) and Customer Relationship Management (CRM) can help a company move ahead in economic hard times by:

• Controlling costs and reducing expenses

• Improving efficiency and performance

• Strengthening customer service, value, and loyalty

• Monitoring key performance indicators (KPIs) to stay both on course and agile

 Here are several examples of how ERP and CRM business solutions such as Microsoft Dynamics GP and Microsoft Dynamics CRM can help you meet these goals:

Enterprise resource planning (ERP):

• Maintain tight control of your finances and manage them with a high level of efficiency and accuracy.

• Make complete up-to-the-minute financial information and reports easily accessible to anyone necessary to perform business planning and achieve regulatory compliance.

• Simplify and automate routine and repetitious functions, so your employees can focus on more critical tasks to drive your business forward.

• Increase efficiencies in distribution to improve customer satisfaction and reduce the cost of doing business.

• Offer sophisticated communicative, collaborative, and self-service capabilities to make it easy and compelling for other companies to do business with you.

Customer Relationship Management (CRM):

• Maintain close contact with your customers and prospects to strengthen satisfaction and loyalty during down-turns.

• Retain and win more customers and market share even during difficult economic times.

• Centralize customer information for easy, reliable access to maximize your people’s time.

• Help your people recognize individual customer preferences and overall trends to seize more sales opportunities.

• Provide automated and self-service options to customers to reduce costs and increase response times.

• Identify your best customers so you can target efforts toward them.

• Discover emerging customer needs and respond to them before your competitors do.

• Better manage sales and marketing initiatives and track their results to optimize marketing spending.

• Automate and streamline workflows to increase productivity and efficiency.

•Improve efficiency of field services with online tools.

So, why choose Microsoft Dynamics GP or CRM?

• It’s familiar to your people. It looks the same and works the same as other Microsoft products including Microsoft Office, so it’s familiar to many people, ensuring faster adoption, reducing training time, and accelerating ROI.

• Its role–tailored user experience enables your people to easily perform tasks and access information relevant to them.

• It offers workflows to eliminate manual, inefficient processes.

Moving forward while the rest of the world seems to be standing still isn’t just possible, it’s a great strategy.

By REACH-Solutions – Arkansas Microsoft Dynamics GP Partner

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 In my upcoming series of blogs I will review the following reporting tools available in Dynamics GP:

• Dynamics GP Report Writer
• Microsoft SQL Reporting Services
• Crystal Reports
• SmartLists
• SmartList Builder
• Excel and Microsoft Office
• Excel Report Builder
• FRx

 Stay tuned!

 by REACH-Solutions – Arkansas Microsoft Dynamics GP Partner

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