Business Essentials Edition (BE) is primarily for growing organizations that need core features for the lowest cost, with the flexibility to add on for future growth. Microsoft Dynamics GP Business Essentials Edition Software License Cost per concurrent user starts at $2,250.

Advanced Management Edition (AM) is for companies that need an extensive set of advanced functionality or a specific feature that is not included the Business Essentials Edition (and can’t be provided by an ISV module). Microsoft Dynamics GP Advanced Management Edition Software License Cost per concurrent user starts at $3,980.

At CAL Business Solutions, out of approximately 200 Microsoft Dynamics GP clients only 12% of them use the Advanced Management Edition.  Whenever possible, we try to help our clients save money on Microsoft Dynamics GP by buying the less expensive Business Essentials edition and then filling any gaps with ISV add on software modules.  However, there are legitimate reasons why buying the Advanced Management edition makes sense as well. For our clients, the most popular reasons for choosing the Advanced Management edition has been the need for advanced manufacturing, grant management, extended pricing, and HR self service. But these are not the only reasons.

Besides the obvious cost difference, how can you, as an ERP software buyer, know which edition you should buy? This article is intended to help you compare the two editions by describing the modules that are only available in the Advanced Management edition. If you need these features, and you can’t add the missing functionality with an ISV module, then you need to purchase Microsoft Dynamics GP Advanced Management edition.

The text in italics is the official description of the module. In some cases I added a quote from George Mackiewicz, the owner of CAL Business Solutions, to shed a little more light on the value of that feature. However, this is merely his personal opinion based on experience and is certainly open for comments.

Note: This is NOT a description of ALL the modules/functionality available with Microsoft Dynamics GP. It is a list of Microsoft Dynamics GP modules ONLY available with the purchase of the Advanced Management Edition:

FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT MODULES:

1. Cash Flow Management

Make timely, informed financial decisions with customizable information views and forecasting tools that enable you to control, predict, and monitor inflows and outflows.

“In my experience I have not found that this module is particularly important to any client we have worked with.  All it really does is look at what Payables and Receivables are due, based on the terms of each sale, and then tries to forecast what cash flow will be each month. So it’s almost a calendar approach:  if I sent out an invoice that is now due on the first of the month and at the same time I’ve got some payables that are due for that same period, it takes those, nets them out and, in effect, tries to say my cash balance as of the first of the month is going to be this amount, as of the second of the month it’s going to be that amount.”

2. Collections Management

Minimize collections workload, improve your cash flow, and reduce bad debt expense with customizable information views and automated bad debt management tools.

“This is a feature that many larger companies need, especially if they have multiple people collecting money. Collections Management allows for the ability to have separate collection responsibilities with customizable information views. Again, it is usually only a requirement with larger organizations.” 

3. Customer/Vendor Consolidations

Quickly transfer information between Receivables Management and Payables Management to create a customer record that uses information already available in a vendor record, and vice versa.

4. Grant Management

Not-for-profit and public sector organizations can automate grant management processes to track funds more easily, demonstrate accountability, and help attract future funding.

“If you’re in a non-profit, you need the ability to manage grants which are an important part of your working capital. Different grants have different accounting requirements and different guidelines for their use. AM can handle that complexity.”

5. Lockbox Processing

Automatically import and apply customer payment information from a lockbox transaction file provided by your bank. Lockbox Processing provides reliable receivables information, improved funds availability, increased productivity, and greater fraud protection.

“Lock box processing allows clients to use a remote bank as a clearing house for incoming cash.  Those incoming cash deposits are coded by the bank or an outside financial institution, and then a file is created. Lockbox processing then uses this file as its source to automatically match those payments to the outstanding receivables that would reside inside of Dynamics GP. The benefit of this module is to speed up that cash application process. If it was done in‑house it could require your team to handle the data entry whereas the clearing house has teams of people that would be able to process these payments much faster. ”

6. National Accounts

Streamline complex processes with the ability to create parent/child relationships between customer accounts and apply cash receipts across members of National Account.

“Managing nationwide accounts is a challenge for companies with a large customer base located in various areas.  National Accounts gives you to the ability to sell and service much larger entities, and because those entities are part of a national account you need a different method to manage their payments. The payments will probably be coming from the national level as opposed to the customer that you actually are servicing locally. AM can handle that challenge.”

7. Process Server

Improve system performance by offloading and distributing processor-intensive tasks to idle, under-utilized, or dedicated process servers and freeing up personal computer resources. Automate load balancing to efficiently utilize system resources.

“This functionality was more important in the past when  computers and resources were limited. It gave the ability to offload a large running process, such as an aged trial balance or a month-end close, to another PC.  That way your machine could be freed up to continue to work. But I do not see this as an issue anymore.” 

8. Refund Checks

Automatically generate receivables debit memos for customers with credit balances and print refund checks using Payables Management.

“This is another important module for businesses that need the capability of issuing refunds to customers. Refund Checks module completely automates the process of removing credit from receivables and sending a check from payables. Doing this manually is time consuming and labor intensive. AM does it automatically.”

9. Revenue Expense Deferrals

Simplify deferring revenues or distributing expenses with the ability to make entries for future periods within General Ledger, Receivables Management, Payables Management, Sales Order Processing, Purchase Order Processing, and Invoicing.

“If you sell a product or service that is paid for over a period of time, rather than all at once, it will affect your accounting procedures. With Revenue Expense Deferrals, you can recognize the full amount of the contract, but only calculate as received the portion that has actually been paid.”

BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE AND REPORTING MODULES:

 10. Key Performance Indicator

Define and deliver Web-based, personalized views of key performance indicators (KPIs) to individuals’ desktops so that they can monitor and make strategic decisions on business performance.

“For organizations that use metrics and are used to using many dashboards, the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) available on the AM dashboards of Dynamics GP Version 2010 are built on the SRS (SQL Reporting Services) platform which means that you can drill into them and make changes. This makes them a lot more powerful than they were in earlier versions. Dashboards can be customized so that individuals have the KPIs that they require for making business decisions.”

11. Forecaster (NOTE: One named user included in AM edition, additional users can be purchased for an additional cost. Additional users sold separately.)

Meet business objectives and gain competitive advantage with budgeting and planning capabilities that allow you to plan more effectively and respond quickly to changing business needs.

“Forecaster is a budgeting tool but it will soon be replaced by Management Reporter.  It’s the only budgeting tool available for Microsoft that works with a bottom up approach.  Rather than keying in a normal budget process which says I expect my expenses this month to be this much, Forecaster says, start with the people and the departments that they work in and what their annual salaries are and what their matching benefits are going to be. It builds up to a point that this particular resource in the company costs the company this many dollars.  Then it works through what we call allocation platforms or allocation formulas to then take those dollars and allocate them across the organization.”

SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT MODULES:

12. Distribution Suite (NOTE: This module is available for the AM edition for an additional cost)

• Advanced Distribution: Maintain tight, efficient control over your distribution channels by harnessing sales fulfillment workflow, reducing data entry, and providing better access to information. Streamline your distribution cycle, giving you a high degree of control while ensuring speed and accuracy without extraordinary costs.
• Advanced Picking: Keep pace with competitive markets and low margins. Advanced Picking capabilities provide you with the flexibility needed to reduce handling and increase accuracy for both single and multi-site warehouse operations.

 13. Available to Promise

Help ensure the right inventory is available at the right time to meet customer needs, make firm delivery promises, and boost profitability.

14. Extended Pricing (NOTE: This module is available for the AM edition for an additional cost)

Equip your sales team to improve customer satisfaction and beat the competition by creating flexible pricing options and rules for each customer.

 “If you are an advanced distribution company, you need Available to Promise and Extended Pricing in order to handle some of the complicated structures that you might have.  With our customers we have been able to duplicate much of the Available to Promise and Extended Pricing by using Dynamics GP Business Essentials with an ISV module called SalesPad. So we don’t feel this requirement is a reason to purchase AM. However, there is one additional feature you might need – the ability to do extended pricing based on cost plus model.  To get this functionality you must purchase an ISV module from Trinity. So in some cases you have to buy Advanced Management to get Extended Pricing and then go to Trinity and buy the extended costing or the cost piece of that in order to really meet this requirement.

Our company focuses on Dynamics GP for distribution companies. We have been able to help almost all of them to save money by buying the Business Essentials edition and supplementing any additional functionality with Salespad.”

15. PO Generator

Automate purchasing with order point or minimum/maximum settings that determine quantities needed based on the stock situation related to stock goals and generate a suggested purchase order

16. Returns management

Meet customer, vendor, and business requirements with automated returns processing, accurate crediting for sales invoices and returns management authorizations, and efficient transfer of returned items to the main warehouse.

“Before Microsoft introduced Business Ready Licensing this module was sold a la carte for $7,500 but now it is included in the AM Edition. It is a totally automated piece of code that allows you to literally micromanage the whole process of returning merchandise to a company.  It will automatically create a replacement product going out in the opposite direction. For example, something is being returned; it is confirmed that it has been returned.  Returns Management can actually create a sales order for the product that is replacing the one being returned. There is a large amount of overhead in terms of being able to set this up.  Again, we have been able to duplicate a lot of that very simply with Business Essentials with SalesPad using a simple workflow. Returns Management really is a workflow,  it creates a structured workflow for returning the product and in some cases tracking the incoming product plus the outgoing product that might be replacing a damaged piece of equipment. So we don’t feel requirement is a reason to purchase AM.”

MANUFACTURING MODULES:

 17. Manufacturing Suite (NOTE: This module is available for the AM edition for an additional cost)

• Engineering Change Manager: Keep pace with accelerating markets. Engineering Change Management in Microsoft Dynamics GP provides manufacturers with easy ways to collect, organize, and review changes to orders before they’re authorized. Adjust processes and components to accommodate new technologies and customer changes while maintaining or improving efficiency and profitability.
•  Sales Forecasting:Communication challenges are frequent when you bring together product groups that have different objectives and backgrounds, such as sales teams and manufacturing managers. Sales Forecasting in Microsoft Dynamics GP helps increase collaboration, bridging communication gaps and creating a powerful loop that promotes effective, efficient product delivery.
• Quality Assurance:Seize the competitive advantage with tight control of the quality testing process, helping to ensure that products consistently meet or exceed demanding customer requirements. Support high retention levels by providing customers with detailed, current information on quality assurance testing for the products being manufactured for them.
• Job Cost:Deliver a comprehensive view of production profitability by capturing all costs related to a job when they occur and consolidating them within a central location that’s easy to access and manage.
• Sales Configuration:Efficiently incorporate information from various modules—including Inventory Control, Bill of Materials, Routings, and Sales Order Processing—and generate manufacturing orders for the configured items.  
• Capacity Requirement Planning: Establish and measure overall work capacity, as well as compare established capacity—defined through work center calendars, employee, and machine efficiencies—with the amount of work you want done, defined through routing times, manufacturing order requirements, and other specifications.

18. Manufacturing Bill of Materials

Maximize production efficiency, support time-to-market goals, and cut inventory costs across the extended enterprise by tightly integrating different types of bills and customized definitions into manufacturing operations.

19. Manufacturing Order Processing

Efficiently track and manage the entire cycle of order processing, including detailed production costs, work orders, routings, outsourcing, and work center definitions.

20. Master Production Scheduling

Gather information from sales forecasts to form a single, comprehensive production schedule and automatically create manufacturing orders.

21. Materials Requirements Planning

Gain the deep visibility into material requirements that can translate into more effective resource planning — helping reduce stock outages, drive down inventory costs, and streamline the production process.

“When it comes to manufacturing obviously the reason to go to Advanced Management is the fact that you get the three core modules to manufacturing which are the Manufacturing Bill of Materials, Manufacturing Order Processing, and Master Production Scheduling.  Those three modules may be a real reason to choose the Advanced Management edition.  Although you can always look at alternatives which include Business Essentials with an ISV add on such as Horizons or Vicinity Manufacturing.”

PROJECT MANAGEMENT MODULES:

22. Project Accounting

Maintain tight control over project direction, execution, and budget; support resources effectively; and ensure accurate billing and accounting through tight integration with company financials.

23. Time and Expense

Capture, review, and approve project time and expense data on the Web, enabling prompt, accurate customer invoicing and efficient reimbursement for out-of-pocket employee expenses.

“Another reason for going with Advanced Management is the ability to use the project management, project accounting, and time and expense modules. Honestly, at CAL we are not a big fan of these modules within Dynamics GP.  If you are an organization dealing with government contracts you will likely not be satisfied with the project accounting module that’s built into GP because it does not allow the sub ledgers to be in balance.  Government contracts usually require DCAA compatibility which is a government accounting methodology. In cases such as this, we primarily use Business Essentials with an ISV module called Olympic Project Cost which does have the DCAA certification as well as a number of other government certifications for project accounting and project costing.  This has been very successful for many of our clients such as ORLive, that uses a combination of Dynamics GP Business Essentials plus Olympic Project Cost. In my mind, the fact that project accounting gets very little attention from Microsoft from a development standpoint is because they have the Dynamics SL (Solomon) product which is a far more intricate project system. “

CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP MANAGEMENT MODULES:

(Note: these modules should not be confused with the full Microsoft Dynamics CRM product that can be purchased separately but integrated to either edition of Microsoft Dynamics GP)

24. Depot Management (NOTE: This module is available for the AM edition for an additional cost)

Enter work orders; schedule and track activities within your internal repair facility; and track usage of parts and labor in the repair process.

25. Preventative Maintenance (NOTE: This module is available for the AM edition for an additional cost)

Save time and reduce manual tasks by automatically generating service calls for preventative maintenance work.

26. Service Call Management (NOTE: This module is available for the AM edition for an additional cost)

Efficiently enter customer service requests; dispatch technicians; manage parts, labor, and miscellaneous charges; and bill customers for time and material services.

27. Contract Administration

Improve service delivery, accuracy, and accountability with tools that simplify and streamline contract management, including setup and flexible maintenance for all contract items, documents, and requirements.

“Depot Maintenance, Preventive Maintenance, and Service Call Management  would be a reason to use Advanced Management. An alternative would be to use Business Essentials with ISV products from Wennsoft. Wennsoft has a more extensive version of these products in their service management series.”

HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT MODULES:

28. Benefit Self Service Suite (NOTE: This module is available for the AM edition for an additional cost)

Streamline the open enrollment process with automated transfer of information to Human Resources, which helps eliminate paper-based systems, reduce data re-entry, and free staff to focus on higher priorities, like strategic management.

“For larger organizations the HR Self Service Suite is a real benefit of AM.  It gives employees and team members the ability to do things like change the number of W2 exemptions, view paycheck stubs, things of that nature. It’s a very powerful module which offers a lot of HR capabilities.”

ONLINE SERVICES MODULES:

29. Commerce Services (NOTE: This module is available for the AM edition for an additional cost)

Build and publish new sales catalogs on demand and extend your sales reach across multiple online channels and communities.

NEXT STEPS

Still not sure which edition is right for you?  If you are trying to compare Microsoft Dynamics GP Business Essentials vs Advanced Management, and want an honest opinion on the best system to fit your needs and your budget, contact us at CAL Business Solutions. 

Inside Tip: If in doubt, buy the Business Essentials edition; you can easily move up to the Advanced Management version at any time. It is not a new installation of the software, it is just a matter of paying the difference in price and installing new registration keys.  This can be done at any time, with a full investment credit. It will be much easier to pay an additional fee than to try to get your money back from Microsoft.

If you want more money saving tips when buying accounting software (specifically Microsoft Dynamics GP) download our free white paper “30 Questions Every CFO Needs to Ask About the Cost of Accounting Software”.

Please keep in mind that we did our best to put together a complete list of modules only available with AM, however the Microsoft Dynamics ERP price list is somewhat complicated to understand, even for us. So if we missed something, please let us know. Also, if you have other ISV modules to recommend, to supplement Business Essentials functionality, please let us know that too.

Request a free automated Microsoft Dynamics GP Pricing Quick Quote (including Business Essentials license price, maintenance fees and estimated implementation costs).

Interested in learning more about the ISV Add On products mentioned in this article? Visit the CAL Marketplace – an online directory for recommended ISV products for Microsoft Dynamics GP.

By CAL Business Solutions, Connecticut and Massachusetts Microsoft Dynamics GP Partner

Compare Microsoft Dynamics GP Business Essentials versus Advanced Management: When Is The Advanced Management Edition Worth the Higher Price? is a post from: ERP Software Blog

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But if you are looking for a strong financial and distribution software system that can be implemented out of the box in a short amount of time, for a fair price, by an honest local business partner – then you should look at Microsoft Dynamics GP with SalesPad.

Check out this case study, How a Multimillion Dollar Distribution Company Implemented Microsoft Dynamics GP in Just 12 Weeks with Zero Interruption to Customers, about Amax Inc. (a former subsidiary of Stanley Black & Decker), a local distribution company here in New England. A few key points:

• Implemented in 12 weeks with zero interruption to customers and low learning curve for their internal team.
• “Cloud” deployment means easy remote access and no maintenance.
• Knowing true cost of inventory allows Amax to control erosion of margins and make precise pricing decisions.
• Ability to quickly locate real time data on sales, inventory, and business metrics in one place (instead of in 4 separate systems).
• 360 degree visibility by the entire team means information is no longer locked within separate departments.

CAL Business Solutions has been working with distribution companies like yours since 1982. In the case study, Gary Blanchette from Amax described us as “nuts and bolts guys.” He’s right – we don’t wear fancy suits or close deals on the golf course. We are just a practical, hardworking team that has built our reputation by implementing the right software system to solve our customers’ issues at the right price. We don’t try to sell you extra bells and whistles that you don’t need, just because they look nice. We don’t speak in “techno jargon” or bore you with fancy powerpoint slides. We will give you honest advice, clear goals, straightforward answers, and a software system that works.

I invite you to watch a video overview of Dynamics GP + SalesPad at www.calszone.com/bolts. Or download our popular white paper “30 Questions Every CFO Must Ask About the Cost of Accounting Software” which gives insider tips on how to save money and avoid the hidden costs of ERP software.

Then call me at 860-485-0910 x102 or drop me an email to schedule a complimentary Discovery Call. During this call I can help you evaluate your current processes and systems to determine whether Microsoft Dynamics GP + Salespad would help you reach your goals. No pressure, no commitment, just honest advice from the “nuts and bolts guys” of ERP/distribution software.

We run our projects the way we run our business – do what needs to be done, do it right, and do it at a good price. And we want to work with companies like yours who value the same principles.

by CAL Business Solutions, Connecticut/Massachusetts Microsoft Dynamics GP Partner

Do You Want Overpriced ERP Software for Your Distribution Company? is a post from: ERP Software Blog

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_____“Our company is using multiple software systems that do not talk to each other, so we key in the same information many times.”

_____“We have outgrown our basic accounting software, it just doesn’t have the capabilities we need; it is slow and unstable.”

_____“We can’t get financial reports quickly or easily with the level of detail we want to make strategic business decisions.”

_____“Our software system is no longer supported and we can’t get the help we need or it is too expensive to upgrade and maintain.”

_____“Tracking new regulations/compliance issues is causing me headaches.”

_____“Our sales and customer service reps constantly have to ask accounting for information—I want single screen visibility into sales, inventory, purchasing and client history so I can give my customers answers on the fly.”

_____“I wish we had a system that was easy to learn to use and worked with programs like Word, Excel and Outlook that we use every day.”

If you answered yes to 1 question, you might be able to limp along for a little longer. But you need to evaluate how much wasted time it is actually costing your company. If you answered Yes to 2 or more questions, then you need some help.  It is time to talk to CAL Business Solutions about an accounting software upgrade to Microsoft Dynamics GP.  Contact us at sales@calszone.com or 860-485-0910 x3102 to set up a free discovery call so we can learn more about your current systems and your goals and help you determine if Microsoft Dynamics GP is the right fit.  Concerned about the cost of new accounting software?  Download our free white paper: “30 Questions Every CFO Must Ask About the Cost of Accounting Software”.

By CAL Business Solutions, Connecticut Microsoft Dynamics GP Partner

Take the Quiz – 7 Signs Your Company Needs To Upgrade Your ERP/Accounting Software is a post from: ERP Software Blog

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Small & Casual: This restaurant was small and casual – nothing pretentious.  CAL is a small partner (19 people) in the small state of Connecticut. Our team is casual and unpretentious. You will never see anyone dressed up in a suit and tie, but we have just as much GP expertise as any other partner out there.  

BYOB: I love restaurants that are BYOB because I feel like they want to help me save money (instead of charging me $10 for a glass that I know costs $6.99 a bottle).  At CAL Business Solutions we honestly do try to find ways for our clients to save money. This could be by replacing GP licenses with less expensive ISV users. Or recommending the Business Essentials version vs. the Advanced Management version. Or simply by not padding our bill with unnecessary time.  Again and again, clients have told us that they choose to work with us because we are fair and we don’t try to oversell or overcharge.

Live Music: Restaurants don’t need to offer live music. But sometimes they do because they know it will make their customers happy.  CAL Business Solutions doesn’t need to offer monthly GP Tips & Tricks newsletters, thank you referral gifts or annual GP user events – but we do it because we feel that it adds value to our customers and makes them happy.

Owner Involvement: Throughout the evening the owner  of the restaurant came over to our table to ask if we were enjoying the meal.   The owner of CAL Business Solutions, George Mackiewicz, is personally involved with every client. We don’t have a sales team, George sells the product and then stands behind it himself to make sure it is delivered as he promised. And he checks regularly to make sure our clients are happy.

Amazing Employees: The staff at this restaurant was friendly and they seemed to have a good time working with each other.  At CAL Business Solutions, our team members are genuinely nice people who look out for our customers.  You can’t figure that out by reading an RFP – you need to get a taste for yourself by meeting the people personally.  We invite prospects to come to our office or attend our user Dynamics GP events so they can see our team in action.

So when it comes to choosing a Microsoft Dynamics GP ERP/accounting software partner, remember that it is not always the biggest partner with the flashiest marketing campaigns and the most awards that are the best choice. Dig a little deeper and look for the “hidden gem”.  Not only will you have a great experience, you will feel compelled to tell other people about it too.

So if you are ever near Worcester, Massachusetts make sure you stop for dinner at Lucky’s Café. And if you are looking for the best Microsoft Dynamics GP Partner, contact CAL Business Solutions.

By Anya Ciecierski, CAL Business Solutions, Connecticut & Massachusetts Microsoft Dynamics GP Partner

When Choosing an ERP Software Partner Sometimes The “Hidden Gem” Is Better Than the “Top 10” is a post from: ERP Software Blog

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In the past, ORLive used a DOS based accounting software called Data 2000, however this system did not give them any project accounting features.  This successful company would manage as many as 75 projects simultaneously – each with long timelines, and complicated contracts that effected their ability to invoice for their services.  Yet all the project cost information was being tracked in spreadsheets.  They had a large number of people entering time that was not accurately linked to specific projects and they had difficulty tracking the individual costs associated with each project. All of this made it difficult to determine if individual projects were profitable.  They wanted to upgrade their system to include project costing functionality as well as integration to other Microsoft tools used within the organization such as Microsoft Sharepoint.  They needed accounting software for a professional services organization – and the answer was Microsoft Dynamics GP + Olympic Project Cost.

 “Revenue Recognition Used to Take 3 Days, Now It Takes 1 Hour”

A key part of the project was the revenue recognition report.  The billing for each project was on a set payment schedule that was outlined in the contract – but each was unique.  Previously, they used to use a massive unwieldy 40 page spreadsheet that was built by their CPA firm.  The team at CAL Business Solutions did an in depth analysis to fully understand their process, and recreated the revenue recognition report within their Microsoft Dynamics GP system. Now the system automates the collection of time, status of projects and percentage of completion and figures out how much to bill the client.   “We access this report right from our main menu using a shortcut, it is seamless for us.” Says Richard Meyer, Director of Finance.  “It used to take the finance team 3 days to go through all the contracts and events and contract revenue and manually enter the data into the spreadsheet.  Because of the time involved, this was done only done a year. Now, using Microsoft Dynamics GP (Great Plains), the process takes no more than one hour and is done once a month.

“Tracking Project Costs Makes Us More Profitable”

ORLive employees now use the time tracker function in Olympic as the primary time clock. What used to be a manual process is now automated and people on the road can enter their time remotely.  Using Olympic Project Cost with Microsoft Dynamics GP makes it easy for ORLive to drill down into the details of each project. They can determine not just the time associated with a project, but all the costs and tasks related to it the effect the final bottom line.  Reports generated by Olympic Project Cost are used by the management team to make strategic decisions.   “Using Dynamics GP with Olympic we know the profitability of each project, whereas before we only  knew the profitability of the entire company.  Having a complete view of project costs has improved our ability to price new projects for profit and manage individual projects more closely. ” says Richard Meyer.

“Easily Move Information into Excel”

ORLive appreciates that they have the ability to easily move information back and forth from Microsoft Dynamics GP and Olympic to Microsoft Excel.  “I am a big advocate of the Smartlist feature in GP.  Using Smartlists I can drop information from Dynamics GP into Excel where I have built calculations, metrics and comparisons. I can produce professional looking financial statements in different versions  for different people.  And if they have questions on a specific GL item, using Smartlist I can send them the item detail they need.”  Says Richard Meyer.  “The reporting and budgeting features within Microsoft Dynamics GP are very strong. The system is easy to use and I can quickly identify any issues and correct them.”

“A Business Partner We Can Rely On”

Richard Meyer comments, “Working with CAL has been a very positive experience.  The staff is responsive. When we have unique problems or request modifications they have generally been researched and fixed within 48 hours.”

Because of their strong development experience, the team at CAL Business Solutions was able create the custom reports ORLive required and successfully connect Olympic Project Cost.  In the future, with the help of CAL and Connecticut Computer Services,  ORLive plans to connect their Microsoft Dynamics GP system to their Microsoft SharePoint system for a complete project management solution.

If you are a professional services organization looking for an affordable, easy to use system that will help you manage projects, but not be overwhelming, contact CAL Business Solutions.

By CAL Business Solutions, Microsoft Dynamics GP Partner serving Connecticut and Massachusetts

Connecticut Professional Services Company Uses Microsoft Dynamics GP Plus Olympic Project Cost to Increase the Profitability of Each Project is a post from: ERP Software Blog

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Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online  is well known for its on-demand subscription offering.  But it is relatively recently that Microsoft has been offering Microsoft Dynamics GP on a monthly subscription cost. This model makes sense for some companies who want to conserve cash up front or who want the flexibility of not purchasing the system.  But customers who chose a subscription lost one critical piece of their Dynamics GP systems – CustomerSource! This is the user focused website portal that contains access to training, techknowledge and all things Dynamics.  (check out this post for more explanation of Customersource)

But I think the pleas of Microsoft partners across the world, especially Rose ASP one of the most well know Dynamics GP hosting companies, has finally paid off. I know Linda Rose has been working on this for months and she confirmed in an announcement on Linked In yesterday that ”all of their Dynamics SPLA Hosting Customers have access to Customer Source. Finally!!!!!”

If you read the blogs on this site regarding SaaS (software as a service/on demand) you will see that there is still some controversy among the experts about which deployment model is best – but I do think this announcement about CustomerSource gives the SaaS players an extra point.

By CAL Business Solutions, Connecticut Microsoft Dynamics GP (Great Plains) Partner

One More Reason To Consider Subscription Pricing for Microsoft Dynamics GP is a post from: ERP Software Blog

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“Greening” the Supply Chain

Successful supply chain management is about value creation – building relationships with your suppliers and your customers – all while managing the flow of goods, services and information. The emergence of globalization, outsourcing, regulatory compliance and security concerns complicates matters. For example, you – the manufacturer – are expected to take responsibility for the end-of-life disposal of product and packaging. Green supply chains are more complex – from the creation and purchase of production materials to the delivery and ultimate disposition of the finished product.

The emphasis is on cost reduction and lessening the impact on the environment. This means that every link in the supply chain needs to adopt a green approach and becoming part of a green supply chain begins at home.

Join Judy Wlodarczyk, CONNSTEP’s Director of Environmental Services, for this one hour webcast where

• we will explore how to achieve green improvements
• you will learn how to make your products and services more attractive to your customers
• we will provide easy and effective ways to begin “greening” your supply chain.

Wednesday, March 10, 2010 12:00 p.m.  Register Now

Check it out and tell them CAL Business Solutions sent you! Then ask us how Microsoft Dynamics GP can help you track green initiatives.

For more on this topic check out my last post: “The Triple Bottom Line” – Tracking Financial, Social and Environmental Performance – Going Green with Microsoft Dynamics GP and a great one by Alice Burke: Taking on “Green” Accounting Practices with Microsoft Dynamics GP

By CAL Business Solutions, Connecticut Microsoft Dynamics GP Partner

Connecticut Companies Educated On “Greening” The Supply Chain is a post from: ERP Software Blog

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3. What Can Microsoft Dynamics GP (ERP) Do for the Supply Chain?

You can read the full blog report on the Microsoft Dynamics Community site but here are a few interesting statistics I pulled out:

Highlights from Panorama’s Upcoming 2010 ERP Benchmark Study

• 64% cited poor integration between functional areas in the old system as a driver for a new system, followed by 62% citing poor visibility to reports and key operational data.
• Over 60% of organizations suffer from poor visibility to data and poor integration in their old systems.
• 69% percent of companies expect their systems to improve business performance, while 39% expect the new system to standardize business operations and 39% also expect the new system to make employees’ jobs easier.
• Over 40% of companies implementing ERP software are dealing with either a new CEO or the addition of new office locations.  
•  53% of implementing organizations self-assess their ability to deal with change as fairly poor or very poor.
• Nearly 50% of companies in the process of implementing ERP software have not yet started their organizational change, training, or communication plans.  In addition, 42% have not developed a business case and ROI analysis, which suggests companies are not ready to measure and manage the business benefits they expect to achieve.  

The author makes a very astute comment is his summary: “Success or failure has very little to do with software, which is why organizations need to carefully plan and allocate project resources to effectively handle organizational change management activities as part of their enterprise software initiatives.”

When this 2010 ERP Benchmark study is available I will certainly give a follow up report to our readers.  If you are among the 64% who need better integration between your software systems or would like to discuss the best way to plan for an ERP project contact us at CAL Business Solutions.  

By CAL Business Solutions, Connecticut Microsoft Dynamics GP ERP Software Partner

Sneak Peek Statistics From Upcoming 2010 ERP Benchmark Study is a post from: ERP Software Blog

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One way is to ask current Dynamics users about the benefits they receive from the solution.  When you ask, you’ll get different perspectives on how the solution functionally helps them manage their department or organization.  But you will also likely hear a couple of benefits that aren’t in the brochures.   Most veteran Dynamics users will mention one or all of the following:

• “My relationship with my Dynamics Partner is more than just Vendor.”  Trusted advisor is an overworked phrase, but you hear it often from Dynamics users when they talk about the Partner that implemented and supports their system.    Established Dynamics Gold Partners have done hundreds of implementations and the knowledge gained through that experience helps new clients.  Best practices on everything from Chart of Accounts set up to shipping vendor recommendations adds huge value to the clients of experienced Dynamics Partners.
• “I look forward to Convergence all year.”  There is no other user conference like the annual meeting of over 9,000 Dynamics Users, Partners and Solution Providers. Held in the spring (Atlanta in April 2010) the conference allows users to learn and share with others in a fun filled and learning intensive setting.  Return attendance is phenomenally high because attendees get so much value from the time they spend with the Dynamics community.
• “All my data belongs to me.”  While they probably won’t say it quite that way, you get the idea.  Microsoft SQL Server provides the data foundation to give Dynamics users easy access to information when they need it, wherever they need it.  The flexibility of SQL for reporting, integration to other applications and interchange with the web is unmatched.  If you are a QuickBooks user now, this one probably sounds very tantalizing.

So when you are evaluating ERP systems, go beyond the brochures; seek out current Dynamics users and find out what matters to them.

Elaine Crooks, BroadPoint Technologies, (301) 634-2463 www.broadpoint.net A Virginia Microsoft Dynamics GP Partner

Beyond The Brochure – What Really Matters To Dynamics Users? is a post from: ERP Software Blog

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Highlights:

• Able to process orders 50% faster.
• Workflow keeps quotes from falling through the cracks.
• Quick access to information increases customer satisfaction.
• SalesPad gives more functionality for a lower software cost than a traditional GP system.

The president of Warner Specialty Products, Jack Warner, comments, “SalesPad allows me to keep a good handle on what is going on at my company every day. If I have a question about an order I can easily pull it up and get a full sales analysis report. Documents that used to disappear in a filing cabinet are now visible to every member of the team through every step in the process from quote to completed order.”

Read the full case study on our website: Warner Specialty Products Reduces Order Processing Time by 50% Using Microsoft Dynamics GP + SalesPad

CAL Business Solutions works with more than 75 distribution and light manufacturing companies in Connecticut and across the USA.  Our clients use Microsoft Dynamics GP + SalesPad as a full featured yet affordable supply chain management system that connects sales, warehousing, purchasing, and finance.  

If you are a Connecticut or New England distribution company, contact CAL Business Solutions to determine if Microsoft Dynamics GP is the right ERP system for your needs. 860-485-0910 x3002

by CAL Business Solutions, Connecticut/Massachusetts Microsoft Dynamics GP Partner

Connecticut Distibution Company Reduces Order Processing Time by 50% Using Microsoft Dynamics GP + SalesPad is a post from: ERP Software Blog

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