Category Archives: References

Where Have #MSDYNGP Product Printable Manuals Gone?

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I am not sure how many of us actually refer to GP user manuals; the ones that come in PDF format and contain module functionalities. But I do, religiously. When I came to know that they are not available offline anymore, I was a bit upset. After a bit of traversing here and there, I have finally found the location of them.

Take a look at below screenshot, which compares GP 2010 Printable Manuals menu and GP 2013 Printable Manuals menu:

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Apparently, when you click on that “Documentation and resources for Microsoft Dynamics GP” link from GP 2013 Printable Manuals window, it takes you to this webpage:

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And click on Documentation and resources for Microsoft Dynamics GP 2013 (highlighted above with RED box), you will be taken to following link: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/jj673201(v=gp.20).aspx.

From there, locate Printable Guides [GP 2013] as shown below:

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Once you click that, you will be taken to following link from where you can find all your module manuals: Printable Guides.

Biggest hassle is to click on each link found on this page, being taken to another page and from there download the PDF and it literally kill us. If they are available offline already on GP applications folder, like how it used to be before, it would have been awesome.

Never realised that Microsoft would put them all online and not plant them on our GP application folder anymore. Strange strategy.

VAIDY

Field Level Security: Quick Reference To Security Modes

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I was brushing myself up for my Microsoft Dynamics GP 2013 – Installation & Configuration (MB3-700). One of the many topics that I think would be very important for all customers is Field Level Security (FLS).

This post is not about explaining WHAT it is, but to give you a quick reference on list of security modes that are available:

Following is the list taken straight from GP System Setup manual:

  • Password Before: You must enter a password before getting access to a field. Password After You must enter a password after modifying a field for the changes to be saved.
  • Warning Before: A warning will be displayed and access to that field will be denied.
  • Lock Field: You can’t use or modify the field.
  • Disable Field: The field will be displayed but it will not be available.
  • Hide Field: The field won’t be displayed.
  • Password Window: You must to enter a password before access to the window is permitted.
  • Disable Window: Enter the system administrator’s password to have access to the window.
  • Password Form: Users or classes must enter the correct password before access to the form is permitted.
  • Disable Form: You must enter the system administrator’s password to modify the form.

FLS is in my opinion the easiest way to enforce necessary and unobtrusive security.

VAIDY

Book Review: Microsoft Dynamics GP 2013 Cookbook – Ian Grieve & Mark Polino

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This was my first book as a reviewer this year. I am in fact a bit too late to write about this gem. As like previous books, this book will remain treasured in my shelf.

The book I am talking about is: Microsoft Dynamics GP 2013 Cookbook.

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The book is written by MVPs Ian Grieve and Mark Polino. They need no introduction. If you are a GP consultant or community member, you should be knowing them. Let’s jump into the review straightaway.

Anybody who would like to buy a book, nowadays, look at immediate benefit that they get from it. We are no more disconnected. For any issue, we have a possible solution lying out there, you just need to reach it. Google it, Bing it (like how Ballmer say), email your peers, tweet it, register your question on relevant forum and you have experts who are happy to volunteer and guide you through your issue.

I am especially proud of my Dynamics GP Community, where almost all the times you won’t be left dissatisfied. You have a question, ask the community and rest assured that somebody would take that extra effort and get you through.

In such an age of unlimited guidance and resources, what makes this book a “GO GET IT” book? Apart from the authors who have got tons of experience and expertise collectively, content of this book is telling for us to treasure a copy.

This book is structured as follows:

  • Chapter 1: Personalising Dynamics GP
  • Chapter 2: New in Dynamics GP 2013
  • Chapter 3: Organising Dynamics GP
  • Chapter 4: Automating Dynamics GP
  • Chapter 5: Harnessing the Power of SmartLists
  • Chapter 6: Connecting Dynamics GP to Microsoft Office 2013
  • Chapter 7: Exposing Hidden Features in Dynamics GP
  • Chapter 8: Improving Dynamics GP with Hacks
  • Chapter 9: Preventing Errors in Dynamics GP
  • Chapter 10: Maintaining Dynamics GP
  • Chapter 11: Extending Dynamics GP with the Support Debugging Tool
  • Chapter 12: Extending Dynamics GP with Professional Services Tools Library

Chapter 1 discusses about how to personalise GP. You have so many ways to personalise your accounting system. There is no one standard way to do that. But with GP, there is a specific set of standard tweaks that will come in handy. I am not touching any single tweak here in my review. No spoilers. If you are a GP consultant already and know something (or more) about GP, you would still won’t go empty handed.

Chapter 2 discusses about what’s new in Dynamics GP 2013. This book is basically a Second Edition to the book Microsoft Dynamics GP 2010 Cookbook written by Mark. Apparently, a followup book like this should discuss about new features compared to old version of GP. This chapter does that precisely. The difficulty in writing a cookbook is to choose recipes that are interesting, appealing and significant to a user. With loads of new features in GP 2013, this chapter picks recipes that will surely be appealing and significant. These are standard ones required by most of the customers.

Chapter 3 discusses about how to organise GP. An accounting system is no small thing. They are big, confusing at times and scattered in terms of accessibility. 100% success of an ERP system is achieved only when we gain users’ confidence. This chapter gives us some recipes to organise GP and thereby gaining more confidence in using it. A simple thing like “User Defined Fields” can give more clarity to either a transaction or a master record. This chapter is full of such simple yet effective recipes.

Chapter 4 discusses about automating certain processes in GP. Time is precious to anyone. Especially when it comes to business, seconds matter. I have heard from lot of frustrated users that their ERP system does not help them do things faster enough. This chapter brings us some recipes that will help a user perform quicker and save time. Recipes range from manual process to totally automated process.

Chapter 5 discusses about SmartList and how it can be used efficiently. I have mentioned several times at many places that SmartList is the best tool to see your data and analyse it. You can do wonders with SmartList. And being a dedicated chapter on SmartList, this one talks about how to bend your SmartList to better extent and get what you want from it.

Chapter 6 discusses about connecting GP to Office 2013. One of the many reasons Microsoft talk about having Dynamics GP as our ERP is it’s interoperability with MS Office. From Letter Writing Assistant to Excel Reports, GP can talk seamlessly to two of the most productive tools in MS Office; Word and Excel. By end of this chapter, you should be well versed with GP data analysis.

Chapter 7 discusses about some (among many) hidden features in GP which can be so useful in tuning GP. Why are these hidden? Are they not visible to users? Not in that context. It’s hidden because it’s there all these times, but not being stressed upon. We won’t know how important they are till we actually use it. This chapter explains these features in it’s precise context so you know their exact importance. There are many such features in GP. I wish we would get to see a Third Edition Cookbook soon from Mark & Ian.

Chapter 8 discusses about improving GP with hacks. No no, not literal hacking. GP is secure and nobody can *hack* it as it is. When we talk about GP hacks, we are basically talking about how to get *into* GP and make it more efficient. Read this chapter to learn more about this. I am not going to discuss even a single recipe here. No spoilers. But trust me, this chapter gives you some best hacks to make GP smart and efficient.

Chapter 9 discusses about preventing errors in GP. That’s a nice chapter. Resolving errors is one way of addressing issues. Preventing some of the common errors is totally the smartest way of addressing things. You don’t let issues come to you. Anticipate them and kill them well before they arise. You can save a lot of support fees, believe me. More than anything, less number of error messages in GP means more confident and relieved users are. I again insist on this; if you want your GP implementation to be 100% successful, you MUST gain users’ confidence in GP.

Chapter 10 discusses about maintaining GP. GP is just another software and like all others, it requires periodical maintenance too. From taking necessary backups, to performing SQL DB tuning, to troubleshoot issues without much disturbance to users, maintaining GP is very important. This chapter explains some recipes to handle many such situations.

Chapter 11 discusses about Support Debugging Tool (SDT). Developed by David Musgrave and his team, this tool is a consultant’s Swiss Army Knife. Learn more about this tool on the link provided in the beginning. This chapter, though, summarises some important usages of this tool and how it extends GP’s functionality.

Chapter 12 discusses about Professional Services Tools Library (PSTL). From simple requirement such as changing a customer ID or vendor ID to complex requirement such as duplicating a company’s data, PSTL addresses all. This chapter focusses mainly on those which are day-to-day requirement.

I mentioned exact same words in my previous two reviews. And I am not going to shy away to write same words here: Ian and Mark have put their sincere and precious efforts in writing this book. More than writing a book, it’s the intention to share their experience and expertise with all of us. A book from them is surely going to be useful without doubt.

Go for it. Get one copy and taste their experience. It’s surely going to make a world of difference in the way you interact with an amazing product, that is Dynamics GP. Those who wish to buy this book can do so by clicking on the link provided at the beginning of this review OR by clicking on the book logo.

To the authors, Ian & Mark: Ian, I had told you (in the month of June if I remember correctly) that I would be writing about this book. I could not do that till this day. I hope you would forgive me for that delay :-). Brilliantly written book. I am using many recipes from this book, so I know at first hand how useful this book is for us, consultants.

Mark, we all owe you a lot. What more could I say! This book, especially, has become my reference guide from the time I got it; honestly speaking.

I am just hoping to see another Cookbook soon; this book is simply not enough. 🙂

Developing Microsoft Dynamics GP Business Applications – Book By Leslie Vail

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DMDGBA

UPDATE: Author of this book, Leslie Vail, has got a post on her blog (Dynamics Confessor Blogspot). Link now added here to her own post: Published at last! Developing Microsoft Dynamics GP Business Applications.

I had the privilege to be a part of the technical reviewing of this amazingly informative book: Developing Microsoft Dynamics GP Business Applications.

This book is penned by one of the most experienced GP personality and multiple times MVP, Leslie Vail. Packt Publishing has published this book.

I strongly recommend this book to all GP developers/consultants who would like to know how to develop anything with regards to Dynamics GP; be it a new feature addition, a feature modification or just a cosmetic enhancement.

Thanks Leslie Vail for this wonderfully written book with every single important concept being covered.

VAIDY

Choosing a Development Tool for Microsoft Dynamics GP

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Microsoft had published a white paper on choosing a development tool for Microsoft Dynamics GP, at the time of GP 2010 release.

Though it’s pretty old, it’s still valid even now to refer to this white paper.

Download it here: Microsoft Dynamics GP 2010 White Paper – Choosing a Development Tool

Soon, we would all be getting ready for Microsoft Dynamics GP 2013 and I am sure, this white paper would still be valid. 🙂

VAIDY

Introducing Microsoft SQL Server 2012 – Free eBook

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That’s a great news for those who would love to know more about Microsoft SQL Server 2012.

Microsoft Press has released a FREE EBOOK detailing SQL Server 2012. And it has got 288 pages full of information and it’s free and we have several options of the file type; EPUB, MOBI & PDF.

Get your copy now and know what it is in Microsoft SQL Server 2012.

VAIDY

Victoria Yudin’s Book – Microsoft Dynamics GP 2010 Implementation – My Humble Views

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To Victoria:

1. Congrats Victoria for coming up with such a treasure. It’s your sheer excellence written all over this book.
2. Thanks so much for sharing your abundant experience in GP.
3. All the best for a great year 2011; for this book to be fast selling one among Dynamics GP books, for this book to be on all Consultants’ hands and for much more books from you to us.

What’s special about this Book?

This book stands out from other “How to implement … blah blah” books on several factors:

1. Content – It does not dive into each and every trivial step involved in a TYPICAL implementation. Instead, it takes you thru’ some of the unimagined concepts including; GP Application Structure, SQL Server interaction with GP Application, GP Application Technologies, et al.

Very importantly; Recommendations on how to form your Implementation Team (Customers & Implementors), Planning Infrastructure for GP Environment, Studying Business Requirements practically, et al.

2. Structuring of Content – What’s the use of a book having a great content, but lack in the flow of it? This book teaches many out there on how to structure your thoughts on a book.

This book practically walks us thru’ a GP Implementation. It starts with telling us What’s GP 2010 Application is all about and ends with Training & Add-On Tools for GP 2010; without forgetting to take us thru’ Integration Manager for Initial GP Data Integration. NOPE, it does not teach us how to use Integration Manager to the detail of each and every Field Mapping involved. But it gives you ample knowledge in what you must expect with respect to Basic & Necessary Data Integration in GP2010.

By the time you finish reading Appendices, you would feel like you have personally implemented GP on a Customer’s site. No exaggeration when I meant it, absolutely.

3. Victoria’s Experience – I bought this book for just one single reason: Victoria’s Experience. It’s just not mere luck or coincidence of her grabbing hold of Microsoft’s Most Valuable Professional (MVP) award for a record 7th Straight year.

It takes immense efforts to write a book, which must make sense to appropriate audience. It takes time, energy, thoughts, efforts and almost everything that you possess. This in addition to what you MUST do as part of your day to day job. And pulling off such a book, is great. Simply great.

4. Audience of this Book – This book is intended to anyone (I insist, ANYONE) who wants to sincerely implement Dynamics GP 2010. All we have to possess is some SQL Server knowledge to understand the Application Interaction and some Accounting Basics. Even if you are a newbie to Dynamics GP 2010, you can proudly announce the world that you have learned GP 2010 Implementation, after sincerely reading this book.

If I am an experienced Consultant / Implementor, and I feel like Ahh come on, why do I need a book? I have already done more than 10 realtime implementations, then trust me, I do have something in this book to learn. And I won’t complain after (reading it).

Where to get this Book?

Get yourself this book from Packt Publications, link: Microsoft Dynamics GP 2010 Implementation – By Victoria Yudin.

Note:

Most importantly, remember to thank Victoria for sharing her experience and expertise with us. This book surely is a treasure for all of us.

VAIDY