By Mike Kean, Altico Advisors

When it comes to “cloud computing”, the buzz goes on and on.  Business owners are wondering, does it make sense for us to move applications and data to “the cloud”?  They ask their IT consultants to do the research and make a recommendation.  Our advice is, before you spend a lot of time investigating “the cloud”, you should understand that “cloud” come in many different colors.  

Pure Cloud Applications – Applications like NetSuite, Dynamics CRM Online and Salesforce.com are written and fully maintained by an Application Service Provider (ASP).  Everyone using the application is on the same version of the solution and the only option available is to use the application over the Web.  Typically the applications are paid for on an annual or monthly subscription basis.  The only thing you own is your own data.

Hosted Applications – These are typically applications that could be deployed on premise but are deployed at a hosting center instead.  The Microsoft Dynamics GP and Dynamics CRM solutions are great examples.  In most cases you can either rent or buy the software.  And then, in addition to the cost of buying or renting the software, you pay a monthly fee to access the application at a hosting facility.  This allows you to avoid maintaining the application and the hardware in-house.

Custom Cloud Applications – Using a platform like Windows Azure you can develop custom applications and only pay for the actual usage of these applications.  These types of platforms allow you to write software specific to your business and pay for it as you use it.  Many companies who have written applications in Microsoft Access and other tools can start to look to “the cloud” to solve unique business requirements.

We work with hundreds of Microsoft Dynamics clients and prospective clients every year.  In many cases we find that their businesses have changed over time and the result is islands of information and megabytes of redundant data that reside in various applications from Excel to software systems designed to address unique issues.  All of this data needs to be up to date, but due to redundancy and the multiple systems in which the data is stored, you can’t be confident that you’re accessing the most current and accurate information. 

[There’s a pretty good article that just appeared on Microsoft TechNet about “the cloud” from an IT perspective.  Check it out at http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/ff934854.aspx.]

Moving to “the cloud” will not resolve this problem unless you spend time up front to understand your business needs and make sure you’re picking the “right cloud”.  The reality is that you can link multiple clouds, but this will require extensive time and effort.  “The cloud” is the future.  That’s a given.   Just make sure you stay focused on the overall goals you’ve established for your company and don’t lose your head in “the cloud”, whichever cloud that might be.

By Altico Advisors, Microsoft Dynamics GP Partner for Manufacturing and Distribution serving New Hampshire (NH)

Altico Advisors, a New Hampshire Microsoft Dynamics GP Partner

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By Joel Hatin, Altico Advisors

Well, maybe that depends on your definition of “big.”  Microsoft defines its mid-market as companies with revenues of $5 to $500 million.  So sure, I agree, $500 million is big.  But $5 million isn’t, and there are a lot of $5 million companies running Microsoft Dynamics GP. 

And maybe it also depends on your budget.  If you have $600 to spend on software, go with QuickBooks.  Microsoft Dynamics GP is not for you.  But if you’re willing to consider the real cost of software that no longer meets your business needs, you might come to the realization that $600 is just money wasted if QuickBooks falls short of your requirements. 

Here’s an analogy that I just made up on the spur of the moment.  Once upon a time, you had only 1 sales rep working for your company.  And your phone system had only 1 outbound line.  Most of the time that sufficed.  Now there are 4 sales reps working for your company and you still only have one outbound line.  So sure, you can say you have a phone and it doesn’t cost a lot of money, but at any given time you have 3 sales reps sitting around doing nothing as they wait for a phone line to free up.  It’s pretty obvious from my rather silly example here that this would not be a good business practice. 

Can you really afford to have 3 sales reps twiddling their thumbs?  What’s the cost to you in lost business?  Are you in the business of paying people to do nothing?

And do you doubt that my analogy holds water?  Let’s look at software now.

Once upon a time, you were a one-person shop.  You bought QuickBooks.  Maybe it was even recommended to you by your accountant.  It was really, really cheap and easy to use, too.  A good deal. 

Now you’re a 10 person company.  There’s you (the owner), your son or daughter who just joined the business, 4 sales reps, a marketing manager, office manager, bookkeeper, and a customer service rep.  Your accounting needs have grown beyond the basics that QuickBooks provides.  Your business is more complex.  Maybe you should look at QuickBooks Enterprise.  But (and hey, you had to know there would be a “but”) you’re also continuing to grow.  You’re moving into new markets.   Your transaction volume has tripled in the last 5 years.  How much longer will any edition of QuickBooks meet your needs?

So do you spend money moving to QuickBooks Enterprise now only to find out in a year or two that you’ve outgrown that, too? 

It’s time to move up to the next level altogether.  Do you actually know what a one or two user Microsoft Dynamics GP system costs, or have you just heard rumors?  And a better question might be, do you know how much you GET when you purchase Dynamics GP?  That’s an easy question.  Here’s a list of all the modules that some with Dynamics GP Business Essentials right out of the box:

Analytical Accounting
Bank Reconciliation
Country-Specific Functionality
Encumbrance Management
Fixed Asset Management
General Ledger with AFA
Intercompany Processing
Inventory Management
Landed Cost
Microsoft FRx
Multicurrency Management
Office Excel-Based Reports
Office Smart Tags
Payables Management
Purchase Order Processing
Receivables Management
Reminders
Report Writer
Safe Pay
Sales Order Processing with Advanced Invoicing
Security Management
SmartLists
SQL Server Reporting Services Reports

 For well over 23 years Microsoft Dynamics solutions have delivered the functionality to help over 290,000 businesses worldwide.  Dynamics GP has over twice the functionality of QuickBooks Enterprise and is fully integrated with the tools you already rely on for business intelligence – Microsoft Office.

Microsoft Dynamics gives your business the ability to tailor the system to fit your needs and to design the solution to scale with your business as you grow.  All of this comes at an affordable price.

Furthermore Microsoft Dynamics has the tools in place to help those businesses transition from QuickBooks to Dynamics GP quickly and cost effectively allowing you to focus on your business and not your business systems.  We’ve worked with firms who have gotten up and running on Dynamics GP from QuickBooks in a few short days using the rapid implementation tools specifically designed for moving from QuickBooks to Dynamics GP.  Your business will have the tools that will allow you access to information quicker for critical business decisions along with more than 700 reports for better insight into key metrics.

QuickBooks is a leading provider for small business accounting.  Microsoft Dynamics is the market leader for midsize businesses.  If you’re already there, or plan to be soon, take a closer look at Microsoft and get ready to move up from QuickBooks to Dynamics GP. 

Submitted by Altico Advisors, Microsoft Dynamics GP Partner for Manufacturing and Distribution serving New Hampshire (NH)

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By Mike Kean, Altico Advisors

As the President of a company that specializes in Microsoft Dynamics GP systems for manufacturing and distribution with a sub-specialty in the medical device sector, I asked two of our Dynamics GP clients in the medical device sector to answer that question, i.e. how does Dynamics GP (formerly Great Plains) help them handle their top 5 issues.  They actually came up with 6 points each!  Here are their answers:

 Responses from Expert #1

 1.  Strict industry regulations.

The Medical Device industry must adhere to strict regulations.  Most prominent are FDA and ISO.   GP can help handle this issue by giving them an easy solution to tracking all processes and documentation.  For example, they must keep track of any revisions made to an original document whether it is a form to fill out or a documented procedure.  Microsoft Dynamics GP allows them to store all versions directly in the system.  The documentation can even be attached directly to a particular part or item.

 2.  Tracking leads/prospects.

Important to all industries, including Med Device.  The fact that Microsoft Dynamics CRM integrates with MS Outlook, can be accessed remotely, and can also be integrated with Dynamics GP is powerful/compelling from a business growth perspective.

3.  Inventory control.

Med Devices companies must have traceablity/tracking for all products made.  Microsoft Dynamics GP assists them keep in keeping  track of materials from inventory to inprocess to finished goods.

4.  Tracking quarantined items

Out of spec materials must be quarantined in the Med Device world.  The ability to make separate locations and/or bins in Microsoft Dynamics GP is a huge benefit to segregating quarantined materials/products.

5.  Inventory Control/Materials Planning

Microsoft Dynamics GP is an invaluable tool for knowing how much you have on hand and on order. 

6.  Reporting for Business Planning

 Dynamics GP offers management reporting that allows you to budget as well as to see what is selling and what is not.  It assists you in understanding what your cost drivers are by tracking all of the relevant information

Responses from Expert #2

 1.  Regulatory compliance
As far as FDA reporting requirements and the whole regulatory environment, Microsoft Dynamics GP does a good job of tracking the necessary information.

2.  Lot and serial number tracking

This is part of regulatory compliance but bears mentioning because it is one of the key elements of regulatory compliance.  Microsoft Dynamics GP does handle lot and serial number tracking.

3.  Component to parent/inheritance

This is also part of regulatory compliance.  To comply with the FDA requirements, it is critical to track which components are used in which finished products.  In the case of a recall, it is not enough to have data on the finished product only.

4.  FDA approval process for new clinical trials

This is actually handled outside of GP, but because GP is built on a platform that allows for integration with most third party applications, this is also a benefit of Dynamics GP.

5.  Inventory control in Microsoft Dynamics GP

This is not important for regulatory compliance, but for implementing business practices that reduce waste, reduce costly inventory excesses, reduce back orders and ensure that the inventory on hand meets demand. 

6.  Intellectual Property (IP)

Medical Device companies frequently have to track the royalties due to the owner of the IP, i.e. the concepts or inventions that are being used in the products they manufacture.  This is often a doctor, for example.  Dynamics GP handles the tracking of IP royalties.

By Altico Advisors, Microsoft Dynamics GP Partner for Manufacturing and Distribution serving New Hampshire (NH)

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By Marcia Doron, Altico Advisors

This morning, the president of my company forwarded an e-mail to me that he had received from BtoBAuthority.com with the above title as the subject line.  It contained an offer for a free white paper download from INSIDE-ERP.  Over the last 11 years that I’ve worked in the ERP software space, I’ve seen many such “Top 10” lists.  By and large, they’re all valid to varying degrees, but each author tends to have a somewhat different take on what that top 10 list should include.  Some are more strategic.  Some take a more tactical approach to software selection.  Some are clearly geared toward the business owner.  Others are more directed at the IT professional. 

I liked many of the points elaborated on in this particular white paper, so I bring you a summary of its content, with this caveat:   When you’re evaluating ERP solutions for your company, the first 10 questions are just the tip of the iceberg.  There’s a whole lot more you’ll need to know and understand before you’ve completed your search.

1.  Do you know and understand the business problems your organization’s business leaders plan to solve with ERP?   According to British financial software provider Lakeview, “Many ERP installations have fallen short of expectations precisely because of a failure to determine and define detailed project goals at the outset.” My comment:  Sure.  This is a given.  And if the software firms you’re speaking with aren’t emphasizing the critical nature of this step, you’re speaking with the wrong firms.
2. Does your organization have a business-application vendor already?  If you’re not satisfied with your current vendor’s performance or if the ERP functionality doesn’t suit your organization’s needs, you don’t have to be locked in.  Changing to a different vendor will probably interfere with the business to a certain degree, but it may be worth the disruption…My comment:  This is probably the point I find the most confusing on this top 10 list.  Why would you already have identified or be working with a vendor at this early stage?  And if you’re not satisfied with your current vendor’s performance or if the ERP functionality doesn’t suit your organization’s needs, changing vendors should not be considered as “may be worth” it.  Why on earth would you even consider continuing with that vendor?
    
3. Does your organization have any legacy ERP systems to contend with?  The author cites the obvious:  integration issues.My comment:  It’s a valid question but in many cases, isn’t this exactly why you’re evaluating new systems?  It almost seems like this question is too obvious to be included in a top 10 list.  If you don’t already know whether your organization has any legacy systems, you’re in deep trouble. 
4. Is a vertical ERP solution suitable for your organization?  In an effort to make ERP more accessible to midmarket companies, most vendors have released bundles with software tailored to specific industries.  Such a solution may speed deployment and decrease the amount of customization you require to fully support your organization’s business processes.My comment:  Here’s a question I can sink my teeth into.  I’ve found that few companies actually understand the difference between a vertical and a horizontal solution.  To my mind, there are pros and cons to both.   There’s enough meat in this question to fill another entire blog post.  So I’ll put this one on my list of future topics. 
5.  What functionality will your organization actually use?  You may not need an end-to-end solution that incorporates everything from payroll to field-service management…My comment:  Excellent point.  And the author provides some interesting statistics regarding adoption rates based on a midmarket survey:  Purchasing 96%, Account Payable 95%, Inventory Control 94%, General Ledger and Accounts Receivable 93% – versus Payroll at 18% or Event Management at 4%. 
6. Does the ERP solution align with your organization’s business processes?  To the greatest extent possible, make sure that the ERP system you choose requires very little modification to align the application with your business processes.  …You should not have to change the source code to match your business processes. My comment:  No argument here.  Business process and IT strategies must align.  But just to clarify, there is a big difference between modifying and customizing.  The former should not require tampering with the source code at all.  The latter certainly does and can be the cause of costly problems down the road. 
7. Does your organization have the IT resources necessary to support an on-premise installation?  Even if your company can support on-site ERP, you may have good reason to consider an on-demand or hosted solution.My comment:  If you don’t know the answer to this question, you need to establish that pretty quickly so that you’re going down the right path and not wasting a ton of time evaluating on-premise solutions that you can’t support.   My experience has been that most companies have a strong preference one way or the other. 
8. What kind of services will your organization require from the ERP vendor?  …Make sure that your company’s vendor of choice offers adequate support services, training…My comment:  Good Point.  And I would add that it could be important to determine if those services are provided locally or not.  If not, you could incur significant charges for travel and lodging that you haven’t budgeted for. 
9. What is the true cost of the ERP solution?  …Purchasing and licensing are just one part of the final cost of an ERP solution.  It’s critical to know up front what the costs will be for implementation services, maintenance fees and upgrades.My comment:  Excellent point.  Add up front and ongoing training to that question, too. 
10. Does the vendor have a clear long-term product strategy?  You need to be sure that your company’s ERP implementation will be able to grow with the organization and adapt to changes in the business, as well as continue to offer the best in ERP functionality as the technology continues to evolve.My comment:  Truly critical.  Technology becomes outdated so quickly that if you’re not working with a vendor that has a track record of regularly enhancing and updating its software, then there is no reason to believe that they’re going to meet your future needs and be on the leading edge of innovation.   Why would you want to invest in software that is already growing old or will soon be out of date?  Ask for their technology roadmap and question their ability to perform against that roadmap.  If they don’t have good answers for you, caveat emptor!

Wow.  This turned out to be a lot longer than I originally anticipated, because the more times I read through this top 10, the more comments and caveats I came up with.  As a thoroughly biased critic, I can go through these top 10 questions and count the ways that as a Microsoft Dynamics GP partner, we would receive high grades for our answers to those questions.  We approach the selection process by probing deeply into question #1 above first.  And that’s already a great start.   

By Altico Advisors, Microsoft Dynamics GP Partner for Manufacturing and Distribution serving New Hampshire (NH)

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Submitted by:  Marcia Nita Doron, Altico Advisors

Why ERP is critical now.  It’s the title of a great little white paper.  And the subtitle is:  Timely technology can help businesses battle a down economy and spur recovery. 

Now, whether you’re of the opinion that the recession is over or not, this white paper outlines the key reasons for investing in a solid enterprise resource planning (ERP) system to optimize processes, accelerate productivity, identify trends, and discover new opportunities for revenue growth.

To weather the economic crunch, many companies implemented dramatic cost cutting measures.  But cuts alone aren’t always enough to endure hard times.  Organizations that want to survive AND thrive also recognize the importance of improving operational performance and enhancing employee productivity.  That’s part of the reason why LEAN became a buzz word over the last couple of years.  And no one would argue against the wisdom of adopting the principles of LEAN.

Without a solid ERP system, staff reductions can backfire and the framework for implementing LEAN would be lacking.  Despite your best efforts, your business would still be floundering. 

What would new software do for you?  Let’s use the example of Microsoft Dynamics GP, which lets you:

-          Reduce errors
-          Access up-to-the-minute accurate information
-          Reduce paperwork
-          Receive automated inventory and financial alerts 
-          Cut transaction time
-          Assure regulatory compliance
-          Minimize compliance risks
-          Automate tasks and reports

And the list goes on and on. 

There are several glowing testimonials from Altico clients on our site, but I’ll leave you with this quote from a Microsoft case study:

“After implementing Microsoft Dynamics GP … AIDB [Alabama Institute for the Deaf and Blind] has tightened accounting controls, improved compliance, boosted efficiency, and saved an estimated U.S.$330,000 over six years.”

By Altico Advisors, Microsoft Dynamics GP Partner for Manufacturing and Distribution serving New Hampshire (NH)

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By Marcia Nita Doron, Altico Advisors

Microsoft calls the move from QuickBooks to Dynamics GP “A smart move for your growing business.”   And they back that up with several testimonials from former users of QuickBooks who have chosen Dynamics GP as a more cohesive and comprehensive business management solution.

Here’s what they say:

“QuickBooks has basic accounting functions, but what Microsoft Dynamics GP offers is the ability to stay on one product for the entire lifecycle of the company.  It grows with your business.  If you’re going to stay a small mom-and-pop operation, something like QuickBooks might work well, but if you intend to grow the business, the last thing you want is to have to convert to another accounting package later on.”

Jeff Skeen, CFO
Titan Fitness Holdings
________________________________________________________________________________

“As soon as we installed QuickBooks, we knew it was not the right solution – it was inexpensive, and it enabled simple reporting – but to support the sophisticated project management and accounting required by our business, we knew we would need to turn to Microsoft Dynamics GP.”

Kenneth Boothe, Jr., Program Manager
Erie Shipbuilding
_____________________________________________________________________________________

“Running a growing, multi-departmental organization in QuickBooks became unmanageable.  Each time we added a line of business, we had to create a new QuickBooks instance.  It made recording intercompany transactions and bank reconciliations extremely difficult.  One of the strengths of Microsoft Dynamics GP 10 is that it allows us to maintain separate ledgers for each of these business units.”

 Lee Horton, Director of IT
Current LP
_____________________________________________________________________________________

“QuickBooks is an excellent financial solution for a small company.  But, as our company grew in size and volume, we had to create multiple QuickBooks files to maintain operations – and none of these files could be linked together.  This left us unable of practicing traditional accounting procedures, and it complicated any type of reporting, whether managerial or financial.”

Scott Nesbitt, Chief Accounting Officer
Choice Energy
_____________________________________________________________________________________________

“A huge difference between QuickBooks and Microsoft Dynamics GP 10.0 is transactional integrity.  We have seven people in our accounting department, plus a Director of Finance.  We need the ability to go back and follow an audit trail for any transaction, so a system that has transactional integrity is critical.”

Lee Horton, Director of IT
Current LP

A great deal more information about the benefits of moving up to Microsoft dynamics GP is contained in the
 Replacing QuickBooks Brochure and the QuickBooks to Dynamics Movers Guide.  You can also read about the
Rapid Implementation Tools that have been developed for migrating from QuickBooks to GP.  In addition, there’s a QuickBooks Replacer Kit available in hard copy.  I have 10 left that I’d be happy to send out on a first come, first served basis. 

By Altico Advisors, Microsoft Dynamics GP Partner for Manufacturing and Distribution serving New Hampshire (NH)

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By Marcia Nita Doron, Altico Advisors

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 III 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 process.  If you missed it, you can click here to read “Selecting an ERP/Accounting System – Part I:  The Process.”

Part II provided some useful insight into the pitfalls to avoid when selecting an ERP/accounting system for your company.   If you missed it, you can click here to read “Selecting an ERP/Accounting System – Part II:  The Pitfalls.”

Part III is all about maximizing the benefits of an organized and thoughtful selection process.  The key points to keep in mind are:

• Thorough documentation
• Set realistic expectations
• Leave it to the experts
• Be flexible, allow for course corrections
• Obtain company-wide buy-in
• Comfort level with your chosen solution provider
• Intensive training and testing

In order to get it right the first time, you should:

• Periodically re-visit your criteria for success
• Choose a system that’s the right size
• Plan ahead
• Allocate sufficient time and resources
• Establish an internal team with participation from every department
• Assign an internal project manager
•  Give that person decision-making authority
• Schedule regular progress reviews internally and with your solution provider
• Keep all channels of communication open
• Put everything in writing

And here are a few pointers for establishing a competitive edge:

• Know your competition (What will set you apart?)
• Set tactical (short-term) goals
  • Eliminating duplicate data entry
  • Global view of key business data
  • Accurate inventory levels
  • Increased efficiency
• Set strategic (long-term) goals
  • Increased efficiency/productivity
  • Better profit margins
  • Faster time to market
  • Faster turnaround on orders
  • Improved customer service

Use these guidelines to help ensure a successful selection process.  Here’s a great software selection aid that you can download called a Software Evaluation Checklist.  It provides a rating scale and a way to rank any 3 products in a side-by-side comparison format (for example comparing Microsoft Dynamics GP with Macola).  Use it well!

By Altico Advisors, Microsoft Dynamics GP Partner for Manufacturing and Distribution serving New Hampshire (NH)

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By Marcia Nita Doron, Altico Advisors

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 I of a 3-part series entitled “The 3 Ps of Software Selection – The Process, the Pitfalls, the Promise.”  Part I is 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 process.  Please stay tuned for Parts II and III. 

SOME of the questions you should be asking

–        Do I need to work with a software selection advisor and prepare an RFP?

–        How much internal staff time will be required?

–        What are my 3-5 year corporate goals?

–        Do I have an overall vision of my technology requirements across the entire enterprise?

–        How will I define a successful implementation?

–        Can I quantify the ROI of a new system?

–        Have I documented our processes and requirements across all departments?

–        Is new technology going to make my business more successful, profitable, efficient, competitive?

–        Have I obtained executive and end user buy in?

–        Have I budgeted adequately?

Basic budget elements for a new software system

–        Business process planning and needs analysis

–        Software

–        Hardware

–        Implementation and training

–        Out of scope incidentals

–        Infrastructure

–        Maintenance

–        Support

–        Recruiting

Here’s a great software selection aid that you can download called a Software Evaluation Checklist.  It provides a rating scale and a way to rank any 3 products in a side-by-side comparative format (for example comparing Microsoft Dynamics GP with Macola).  Use it well!

By Altico Advisors, Microsoft Dynamics GP Partner for Manufacturing and Distribution serving New Hampshire (NH)

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Written by Jim Hickey, Vice President, Altico Advisors

Much focus is placed on implementation methodologies to ensure project success. Solid planning and execution are clearly critical factors but what is equally important to success, yet does not garner the same level of attention, is your corporate climate.  Here at Altico Advisors, long experience has proven that clients who achieve a successful implementation share these common traits:

• Executive support – If this project isn’t important to the executive team then it will not be important to the rest of the team. Executives must remind their team as to why the implementation of new accounting/ERP software is important for the company and its strategic goals.
• Active participation of the entire project team – “No wallflowers” allowed! Every team member must voice their opinions, concerns, and requirements so that their needs can be addressed.
• Maintain focus on business objectives – Success is seldom described as using every feature in an application. Stay focused on what needs to be accomplished vs. what can be accomplished (in other words, do it because you should not because you can).
• 360 degree awareness
  • Be vertically aware
    • Downhill  – end users, support team
    • Uphill      — Area managers, executive sponsor(s)
• Be horizontally aware
  • Other user areas
    • IT, audit, etc.

If these criteria seem overly simple, trust us.  They’re often forgotten in the crush of milestones and deadlines associated with any accounting/ERP software implementation.  Check the pulse of your accounting/ERP software implementation project frequently and go back to these basics as often as necessary.  

By Altico Advisors, Microsoft Dynamics GP (Great Plains) partner specializing in Manufacturing and Distribution systems for NH companies.

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Every year, Altico Advisors sees a large number of customers moving to Microsoft Dynamics GP from their Intuit QuickBooks solution.  Since most small businesses want a simple package designed for a small business, they end up buying QuickBooks. It’s quick, easy, and affordable to most businesses that are just starting out and have limited financial resources. It only makes sense then that when those companies grow, they will need a full featured product designed for mid-market companies. Their first impulse is to see how they can get more functionality out of their existing investment.  While QuickBooks offers its customers some great beginner functionality, QuickBooks Enterprise struggles to provide its clients with a more robust mid-market solution. Although QuickBooks Enterprise touts they can handle up to 30 users, there is still a wide gap in terms of further scalability and the type of functionality offered out of the box between this package and Microsoft Dynamics GP.

Take for example the recent findings from the 3rd party company The Accounting Library where they found that Microsoft Dynamics GP 10.0 out of the box includes a great deal more functionality than QuickBooks Enterprise 9.0. 

Considering the functionality gaps shown above, the fast ROI customers experience when moving to Microsoft Dynamics GP, along with gaining powerful out of the box interoperability with the Microsoft Office products they use every day, it is no surprise that customers continue to make the Smart Move to Microsoft Dynamics GP!

By Altico Advisors, Dynamics GP Partner for Manufacturing and Distribution serving New Hampshire

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