This review is for:  Microsoft Dynamics GP 2010 Reporting (Paperback)

Full Disclosure:  I was provided a no-charge paperback edition for the purpose of this review by the publisher, Packt.

What piqued my interest in the first place was actually the fact that Errol Schoenfish, a monument in the Microsoft Dynamics community, wrote the foreword.  And of course, Errol made a few great points, the most salient of which is that raw data is “useless” unless it can be analyzed and turned into meaningful reports on the health of a business through trend analyses and key performance indicators (KPIs). 

 This book addresses the fundamental question of how to turn raw data into meaningful metrics using the reporting tools available in Microsoft Dynamics GP 2010.  And it addresses that question in great detail, in a highly organized framework, replete with numerous, incredibly useful screenshots.  It starts with the basics of “Meeting the Reporting Challenge” and “Where Is My Data and How Do I Get to It?” And it takes you all the way through the design and execution of sophisticated reports using the various tools available in Dynamics GP 2010, such as SmartList Builder (SLB), Excel Report Builder (ERB), Report Writer (RW), SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS), Analysis Cubes (AC), and Management Reporter (MR).  

What’s more, the Appendix at the end of the book compares those tools and outlines the features and functions of each.  The Appendix serves as a quick, high level reference guide. 

Kudos to the authors for a tremendous effort and a valuable resource for skilled end users and Dynamics GP professionals alike. 

Submitted by Altico Advisors, Microsoft Dynamics GP Partner for Manufacturing and Distribution serving New Hampshire (NH) – Please follow us on LinkedIn

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 Let’s take a look at a couple, namely FRx and SmartLists.

 FRx is designed for General Ledger based reporting only.  It is an effective tool for building traditional financial statements, budget vs. actual analysis and other financial reports.  FRx cannot read from any modules other than the General Ledger.  As such, the reporting flexibility is directly linked to the design of your chart of accounts.  FRx was designed to be used by finance professionals and does not typically require the assistance of IT professionals or consultants to develop new reports.

As the name denotes, SmartLists is extremely effective in delivering filtered lists of information .  Examples include inventory items below re-order point, customers over their credit limit, past due sales orders and employees approaching their anniversary date.  SmartLists will not provide functions such as calculations and is limited to the predefined library of available fields.   SmartLists is designed for users of Microsoft Dynamics GP to build their own queries without an intimate knowledge of the underlying database.

These are two of the most popular reporting tools used by our clients for three reasons.  First, they are powerful.  Second, they are intuitive.  Third, they can be developed by the “average” end user without in-depth database skills or highly technical knowledge. 

Having access to real time analytics is a critical factor in the process of making business decisions that will have a positive impact on the health, growth and profitability of your company.    

Submitted by Altico Advisors, New Hampshire  Microsoft Dynamics Partner, serving manufacturers and distributors in New Hampshire (NH)

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Smartlist Builder for Dynamics GP allows you to take this core functionality much further.  With this add-on module you can create new Smartlists that incorporate not only GP data but data from third party applications as well.  As companies use more and more applications to address various needs, Smartlist Builder can be the one stop shop that pulls disparate data into the format and interface that you are most accustomed to.  Some of the capabilities of SmartList Builder that you might like include:

• Link up to 32 tables including third party tables
• Configure to display the fields you need most by default
• Use it as a “jumping off” point to go to other windows or Smartlists
• Utilize Excel Report Builder for custom reports with additional formatting and analysis capabilities.
• Create consolidated reporting across multiple companies using Excel Report Builder.

If you are evaluating Dynamics GP and you want easy-to-use reporting in a very familiar interface but have some complexity to your data sources, take a close look at Smartlist Builder.  For the relatively little additional cost, it can provide a lot of return on your investment.

In the future, look for some recorded demos of how you can get the most out of this sometimes overlooked module.

Feel free to contact me with any questions you may have: Rick Feterick, Feterick & Associates, Inc  847-795-8200 x74 or rfeterick@feterick.com.

Submitted by Feterick & Associates, Inc –  Microsoft Dynamics GP Partner in Indiana.

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