This article, that I read in Njevity’s Blog, is pretty simple and complete.
It explains when a Customer must seek a Consultant’s assistance, baring those who have an in-house ERP Consultant.
Read it here: Things are not as they seem … When to get a Consultant involved!
And if you have more reasons, add it either here in my post as comments or directly on the source site.
VAIDY
David superbly summerizes the most useful resources available for us to look into.
Start from here to enter a world of GP Resources: Getting the most out of your Microsoft Dynamics GP Community.
VAIDY
GPWindow.com after it’s officially launched, has added one more useful feature: Where’s that GP Window?
It’s good, considering the fact that we cannot remember all GP Windows and it’s paths. Those who want an easy way to know where a GP Window is, go to this link in GPWindow.com and you will find it.
Add it to your GP Shortcuts / Quicklinks, not at all a bad idea. This will give your users, an easy access to the site which is full of information about GP.
VAIDY
This article is an excellent one from Craig Buckler. Happened to read this and being a developer myself basically, I could not help but admitting to all his points.
Read the article here: 10 Reasons Why Project Estimates Fail.
If you have more reasons to add? Please add those reasons as Comments to this post or Comments to the original post directly. Either way, I am too curious to know your views on this article.
VAIDY
I would have read nearly 10 LinkedIn discussion posts and couple more in Forums/Newsgroups for the past one month, asking for Exam Dumps to veer thru’ Dynamics Certifications (ranging from Product to Sure Step). Thought I would just share my thoughts.
The reasons in my opinion for this trend:
1. Employers urge employees to clear certification to get more points & benefits thru’ Microsoft Partner Program.
2. Clients urge Employers to show more “Certified” consultants instead of even “Experienced” consultants.
3. Employees think, in fact believe, that once they get one certification they are on top of the existing breed of consultants and they can be in a demanding position.
Are these just myths or facts? Let’s keep that argument aside and think from a broader perspective.
Any Certification IS A MUST for any consultant. There is no second thought about it. But it is NOT A MUST to GET ONE BY ANY MEANS.
Conventional thinking with respect to Exams, Certifications, etc. has long gone. It’s all about know the details about a certain Certification in 1 day, collect the information on Exam the next day, throw queries on Newgroups/Forums/Pro-Networking Sites about Exam Dumps and get information those who would have put in their blood, soul, efforts, emotions, etc. quite easily the third day, go thru’ the dumps and get confidence that we know all about that Certification the forth day, schedule an exam the fifth day, attend the exam the sixth day and GET the Certification seventh day.
It’s just about 7 days task to get one certification. Does this really help us? Some say it does. Clever people always think about first getting a job and then learn whatever comes on their way. Conventional people always believe in learning the product first and then make sure that they are eligible for a Certification. By experience they become the ones to prepare dumps instead of collecting it from others and unfortunately left behind by those who are clever.
Recently I read a similar question from a Consultant, who wanted to clear past a certain certification and replies were a resounding “Unless you practice these concepts, dumps will not help you at all”. Of course, people. Come on. We are not school kids anymore.
I am a Certified Consultant myself and I can certainly tell you all from my own experience. I also got some dumps (trust me, I never posted any queries on any forums for sure). But those dumps were mere dumps for me, after 6 years of my GP Technical & Functional consulting experience. I simply believe that if I know about GL Reversing Entry in general and in GP in particular, I can answer 1000 questions framed on top of it. I don’t require a dump in that case and I feel proud that I got certified on my own expertise and experience.
I have met many people who excelled in the product first (ask them anything from any nook and corner, you would get more than what you expected) and then went for Certification to make sure that they have one for formalities. I have also met people who got a certification first thru’ dumps and still looking for jobs.
I am sure all of us know how to drive a car more than how Quantum Physics work. Because we drive daily in our life, we practice it. To get a license, we must first attend the classes, know the rules and regulations of that country, practice it for sometime and then attend the test. It’s no different here as well.
It’s that simple. If I cannot understand what a client requires and how I am going to solve it for him/her, then my so called “Certified Consultant” tag is just a label. But if I do know how to, then I am a Consultant who is eligible to get Certified.
I leave this open to all of you to decide how you would like to approach this concept called Certification. Needless to say, I am certainly willing to learn from all of your viewpoints.
VAIDY
Jivtesh has come up with a noble concept; his new website called GPWindow.com.
Let me share with you about what I liked in this site:
1. The left panel lists us the top sites, based on the number of posts. For a Blogger like me: This means, the one who regularly blogs will get a chance to get more visibility. For a User who looks for a blog: This means, you have got a fair idea about the list of top most GP Blogs which are there for you.
2. The right panel recommends some of the GP Articles. Any post in any blog that has got a mention from other Bloggers or websites or forums.
3. On the top, there is a tab which takes you to:
3.1. Recommended Links: Those links from all GP blogs that are recommended by anyone out there in his/her blog, forum, website, newsgroups, etc. Awesome, isn’t it?
3.2. Latest Links: As the name suggests.
3.3. Top Hits: Those posts which got the most number of hits.
4. Center Panel gives us the best part; Categorization of posts. This is done by parsing post titles and categorizes it based on several keywords. While this list is not yet complete, it’s still comprehensive.
5. And finally there is a Custom Search, designed and created by Jivtesh. This is exactly what I am using in my blog as well. This allows users to focus on one place and get what they want without searching on different sites.
As the site name suggests, it’s clearly a Window to your GP resources.
What it means for a Blogger like me?
1. I am quite happy personally to have got listed as #5. Quite an achievement by me. Considering the fact that I started blogging for a completely different reason but got hooked to this beautiful concept called Knowledge Sharing. This opened up to me an entirely different community dedicated selflessly to help users, consultants & themselves. So it’s quite a proud moment.
2. I also feel very responsible now that my blog is listed. I must be up-to-date, relevant to what I write, accurate in what I share & should be right on concept.
3. I tend to work more on my blog & newsgroup activities, so that I learn more and I share even more to you all.
What it means for a user like me?
1. My search time is quite less from now on. I just open this site and enter what I want to know. Custom Search goes thru’ each and every GP site listed in David Musgrave’s blog and get what you want.
2. I get to see the most active blogs in GP Blogosphere.
3. I get almost anything that I wish to learn from one place.
And more, of course…
Thanks to Jivtesh for this wonderful concept site.
Important: Do post your feedbacks by clicking on Contact. This will enable Jivtesh to keep this site well maintained and improved.
VAIDY
I honestly don’t mind being RUDE in this regard.
Disgusting to hear that Mark’s Cookbook (eBook version) was distributed free online by someone. That’s the least word that I could use. Disgusting.
Writing a book is not an easy thing in life. It must first engage the reader. It must give the user the worthiness of his/her time spent on reading it. It must be always fresh whenever you open it and read it. Mark’s book does just that. He has put his efforts & experience in giving us an awesome book full of information.
So those who are doing this disgusting act, STOP ACTING SMART and BUY the book. Sacrificing one movie night’s expense for this book, is not a bad idea, for god’s sake.
Let’s be professional, at least to the extent of not hurting one’s efforts and emotions.
VAIDY
Extending my sincere wishes to all MVPs. Check out Leslie’s article to know about people who got their MVP awarded and also with a brief comment.
I am sure this is inspirational to everyone out there and get our best out and share it with our Community.
VAIDY
Yes to some extent. But certainly not Dead. Austin Merritt, VP Software Advise, explains it very clearly and the comments that he has received for his post expresses mixed feelings.
In my experience, clients want a Software that always fit their exact requirements. Compromise in their requirements is the sin they would least commit. They can’t be blamed for that. One would always start looking at an Accounting Software from their specific business requirements. Once they are convinced that this ERP fits their process, they start looking at the suppliments this product is going to offer them.
Most of the time, Customer Relationship comes first to their mind. Once we are happy with internal processes and the way we do our business, next comes a question: In spite of having best product to sell and also a vision, why we do not see Customers conversion and sales not going up? That’s when we start looking at a product which will give us clear picture (Past, Present & Future). CRM comes into picture.
Now once we visualise an ERP & CRM for our requirements, we start thinking of keeping these two working in tandem. Once we are clear with that, we start thinking about how to present the entire data inside these two systems meaningfully to arrive at Decisions. Business Intelligence comes into picture. How to collaborate all these things and keep it in one single place? Sharepoint comes into picture.
Clearly, we want an Overall System, that keeps our business safely and soundly and tell us what & how we need to go in future.
Vertical Software is always NOT the solution. We have to think beyond our processes. We have to start thinking something futuristic to keep us in a better position when we overshoot our current requirements. While we do have a core Business Area, we do would like to venture in something added to that. And at that time, we would require a system which handles new business requirements without giving nightmares and/or loses in implementing one.
My option in this case, would be, a Horizontal Accounting Software, with required Customizations to leverage each modules of that ERP to cater for varied in-depth requirements.
VAIDY
From MSDynamicsWorld site article, I got to see this Job Graphs for Dynamics GP.
I just felt WOW. This particular site is a very good pointer, though need not be accurate and 100% perfect.
Have a look at it and I am sure you all will be contented.
VAIDY
Dynamics GP - Learn & Discuss 