Upgrade to Great Plains 2016

No Comment Nov 29,2016 Uncategorized

Why upgrade to Microsoft Dynamics Great Plains 2016

 1.      Microsoft support has ended for Dynamics GP 2010 and Dynamics GP 10.0, each are nearing obsolescence

Although Endeavour will continue to provide clients with support on older versions of Dynamics GP, Microsoft’s mainstream support for GP 2010 SP1, SP2 and SP3 expired on October 13, 2015.   Microsoft’s mainstream support for GP 10.0 ended a few years back. The following link will take you to the official Microsoft Support Lifecycle page.   Unsupported applications carry an increased risk that bugs or errors discovered within these products will not be fixed by Microsoft.  For some companies having an unsupported ERP poses a non-compliance within their Business Continuity, Disaster Recovery and/or ISO plans and certifications.

The upgrade process from Dynamics Great Plains 10.0 or Great Plains 2010 to Dynamics GP 2016 or GP 2016R2 will require a 2-step upgrade with an upgrade to GP 2013, then to GP 2016.  Our team at Endeavour is well versed in each of these upgrade approaches.  We HIGHLY RECOMMEND that you consider embracing many of the new workflow, reporting and business automation functions as part of your upgrade.  Such considerations may require additional configurations and business process re-design.

2.      The new Dynamics GP 2016 (R1 and R2) is full of solid enhancements

Our Dynamics GP consultants in Ontario, Quebec and Nova Scotia are thrilled with the added functions and stability of Dynamics GP 2016.  As you may have heard, FRx has been replaced with MR (Management Reporter) for handling your reporting needs via the Microsoft SSRS or Power BI report presentation tools. The enhanced workflow functions are especially exciting and provide a great platform for further automating business processes, improving back-office efficiencies and enforcing financial controls as part of an upgrade of your investment in Microsoft Dynamics GP.  Of course we can’t forget all the “small” improvements in the Dynamics GP 2016, like the having Debits before Credits in all your lists and reports or having the option to automatically update your check book and bank rec when doing a cash receipt.  For many GP 2016 is a significant upgrade from older versions such as GP 10.0 and GP 2010.  Endeavour recommends budgeting for additional change management and training to help users adapt to the new screens, new and enhanced workflows and new reporting methods.

3.      Change Management / User Adoption plans have a greater impact in the New Year

Endeavour Solutions has been providing accounting and ERP consulting for Microsoft Dynamics GP customers for over 20 years.  Over this time, we have enjoyed a low turn-over of consultants and a high retention of satisfied clients.  Experience has shown that when it comes to business readiness, change management and training plans, users are more open to change and adoption of new processes after returning from vacation. The top two times of the year for the greatest mass-return of employees from vacation is at the end of the summer and after the New Year.

Psychologically speaking employees are typically a little more relaxed and more open to new ideas (process changes), while at the same time are motivated by messages from popular media around “Back to school” and a “New year”.  It is at these times of the year where we see increased user adoption of newly enhanced systems and their attainment of new goals, KPIs and other performance metrics.

4.      Internal resource discussions are often smoother near the holidays

Business decisions these days are rarely made in isolation; choosing when and how to upgrade your current Dynamics GP ERP is no exception.  We’ve found that key executive stakeholders are often swamped with a variety of projects throughout the year, but typically slow down just before the holidays.  Although, winter vacations themselves can create havoc on coordinating calendars.  When key stakeholders are able to meet, they are typically less distracted with other projects.  It may seem counter intuitive, but December can actually be the most productive time to reach a common understanding and commitment around resource allocations.

Our team at Endeavour can assist and even mediate your internal review of upgrade approaches, hosting/licensing options, and training plans.  We can also assist with your internal review and evaluation of different approaches to defining new job roles, performing custom calculations, unifying your chart of accounts, working with multiple reporting entities, configuring workflow approval hierarchies, adjusting approval thresholds and a variety of other accounting and business controls that impact business autonomy, team collaboration, reporting visibility and even the calculation of bonus / compensation payouts.

5.      Fewer competing priorities in January 2017 – Start your plans now

As discussed, the holiday season often presents a time when fewer corporate projects are running.  Now is a good time to take advantage of the potential lull in activity and insert an upgrade assessment and business proposal review before other projects are slated to begin.

We’ve found that the majority of top companies operate within defined budgets.  ‘Carpe diem’, if you want to seize the opportunity to improve your performance, streamline your business operations and lay the foundation for future growth, you will need to reallocate the funds from other budgets to pay for your January 2017 upgrade.

Thus the time is now, to consider your Microsoft Dynamics 2016 upgrade plans in preparation for business process improvements and an upgrade to Dynamics GP 2016 this winter.

Call or e-mail Steve Ewing at Endeavour Solutions to set up a meeting to talk about your current Dynamics ERP system and to discuss the various options and approaches available for upgrading to Dynamics GP 2016.

Enjoy your holiday’s, we look forward to hearing from you.

Best regards,

Endeavour Solutions

Looking for more GP upgrade information? – click here www.endeavoursolutions.ca/GPupgrade

Mise à jour Microsoft Dynamics GP 2016 – en français www.endeavoursolutions.ca/miseajour

Steve Ewing
Director, Business Development
Endeavour Solutions Inc.
(905) 542-2139 x 213 / (902) 444-7753 x 213 / (514) 429-1209 x 213
sewing@endeavoursolutions.ca
 
Endeavour Solutions - Dynamics Consulting
 
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Performing miracles remotely and other remote Microsoft Dynamics GP consulting

No Comment Nov 1,2016 Microsoft Dynamics CRM, Microsoft Dynamics GP, ModernBiz, Office 365, Uncategorized, United States

Microsoft Dynamics ERP ConsultantWith the power of the Cloud, remote desktop access, and increasingly refined processes we’ve found that more and more of our client work for Microsoft Dynamics GP (ERP) and Microsoft Dynamics 356 (CRM online) implementations, upgrades and integrating 3rd party products, has been completed remotely via secure connections from our offices rather than traveling onsite to our client’s location (in Atlantic Canada, Central Canada or USA).

So what’s changed?  We did a quick poll among our Endeavour Solutions’ Canadian consultants in Toronto, Halifax, London and Montreal, the results were much along the lines of what you might expect, but do indicate a clear trend none the less.

1)      Change in customer mindset

2)      Improvement in technology and remote connections

3)      A refinement of processes and the more predicable nature of consulting engagements

Now, most of the consultants interviewed, still stressed the need to meet with clients as part of their relationship building process, but some did concede that they’ve been able to build and maintain a number of strong long-term relationships via phone, email and webcam.

Change in customer mindset.  The general consensus was that more and more clients, new and existing, were willing to have their Endeavour consultants work remotely.  This was both due to their comfort and trust in working with Endeavour Solutions, as well as a general shift from what used to be a lot of collaboration and joint discovery of the issues and potential solutions, to more of a reliance on Endeavour as a trusted adviser and a more simplistic, get-it-done attitude.  To sum it up, more and more clients are buying ‘results’ and are less concerned with paying for ‘bums in seats’.  For example, on an eight-week project, one of our consultants traveled to the client’s office (Dynamics GP Michigan client) only once for an initial kick-off, and the rest of their Dynamics GP upgrade was performed remotely, including the implementation of a new manufacturing module along with the associated testing and training.

Technology Improvements. This is thanks to both better network stability and bandwidth that is seen across Canada and the majority of the United States.  It’s also because of the greater prevalence and use of proven network security, firewalls and systems being extended to external stakeholders.   Our technical consultants also stressed that the newer versions of Microsoft Dynamics GP 2016 and Microsoft Dynamics 365 CRM were designed for browser use (web client) incorporating a modern Service Based Architecture which provides a streamlined means of supporting mobile, cloud and secure remote connectivity.  This is further echoed in Microsoft’s “mobile-first, cloud-first” mantra in support of its efforts to help Dynamics Users “Re-invent [their] productivity and business processes”  with mobile, cloud and applications such as Microsoft Dynamics GP 2016.

Refined Processes: Endeavour is now in its 27th year in business as a Microsoft Dynamics GP ERP (Great Plains), Microsoft Dynamics 365 for CRM and Microsoft Office 365, Azure & cloud consulting firm.  With over 400 active clients coast to coast in Canada and internationally including the United States and South America, we have refined, updated and optimized a number of internal processes to help improve efficiency and predictability of customer engagements.  These methodologies, used by our consultants in Toronto, Halifax, London and Montreal, with additional remote support for Edmonton Alberta and Ottawa Ontario, have also created an increased level of predictability and confidence in delivering projects on-time, on-budget and now remotely.

To learn more, contact Steve Ewing, Director Business Development @ Endeavour Solutions Inc.

Save with the exchange rate for USA Remote Dynamics GP Consulting from Canada www.endeavoursolutions.ca/USA

Interesting and Innovative Projects by Endeavour Solutions (Endeavor Solutions) www.endeavoursolutions.ca/dynamicsprojects

Follow us on LinkedIn – www.linkedin.com/company/endeavour-solutions-inc-

 

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Dynamics GP 2016 R2 to be released late 2016

No Comment Sep 23,2016 Microsoft Dynamics GP, ModernBiz

Dynamics GP 2016 R2, unofficially announced this summer and further validated at the Microsoft Dynamics GP “ReIMAGINE” conference earlier this week (September 19 2016).

Microsoft Dynamics GP 2016 R2 will be released later this year.

The official date has not been set, but is slated for Q4 CY 2016 – End of calendar year 2016 in Canada and USA.  Given the announcement of the launch of Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Financials and Dynamics NAV 2017 in Canada for early November 2016, it is presumed that Microsoft Dynamics GP 2016 R2 will most likely be late November or early December 2016.

This release will align well for clients considering Dynamics GP 2016 R2 upgrades in early 2017 after they’ve closed their period-end books (Year-end for some, Quarter-end for others).   Below is an unofficial photo of the Microsoft Dynamics GP 2016 / 2017 Roadmap along with other products within the Microsoft Dynamics Suite including Microsoft Dynamics CRM On-line.  We’re also told that Microsoft Dynamics GP 2017 should be expected late next year, our best guess would be Fall 2017.

Dynamics GP 2016 R2

Visit Endeavour Solutions for more information on:

Microsoft Dynamics GP ERP for Business Financials

Microsoft Dynamics CRM for Customer Engagement and Dynamics 365 CRM Cloud for Customer Engagement

Microsoft Office 365 and Cloud for e-mail, file storage and collaboration

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Microsoft Presidents Club Gold

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Top 3 Excel Functions for Microsoft Dynamics

No Comment Aug 17,2016 Business Intelligence, Microsoft Dynamics CRM, Microsoft Dynamics GP, Office 365, Partners, Uncategorized

Excel has been a key part of Microsoft Office and continues to be enhanced in Office 216, part of Microsoft Office 365 (Office 365 Consulting in Canada).  As a complement to Microsoft Dynamics, Office 365 and Excel 2016 not only provides additional functions and usability, but there are now dedicated mobile apps,  browser-based online versions as well as the traditional Office desktop workhorse apps for Mac and PC.

The following are a quick Top 3 Excel Functions for Microsoft Dynamics
1. Excel templates in Dynamics CRM and GP.

There are a number of great ‘canned’ reports within Dynamics GP and CRM.  Some of the more popular GP ‘canned’ reports include: Export Chart of Accounts, Sales Analysis, Purchasing Analysis and Inventory Analysis. New within Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online 2016, you can now create your own Excel templates and reports. This is an exciting new function within Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online 2016.  Excel templates can now be formatted and embedded within CRM and made available as a personal or system-wide template.  This means the full capabilities of Excel formatting, including Pivot Tables, Pivot Charts, conditional formatting or offline calculations that can’t be easily handled inside CRM, can now be created as templates and made available to all users.

CRM Dynamics Canada reports

2. Excel PowerPivot for advanced slicing and dicing.

This this free add-in within Excel, simply type into the search “Power Pivot”, Excel will point you to the data analysis add-in called Power Pivot.  Vlookup and Hlookup are good, but being able to use a graphical interface to create joins between multiple tables via Power Pivot makes the consolidation and analysis of information a breeze.  Within Excel 2016, Power Pivot has been expanded to include that ability to preview and filter (ETL) before extracting data from a view, instead of downloading the entire Dynamics View or SmartList. This is a great time saver when you are dealing with large data sets with, hundreds of thousands or millions, of rows of transactional data. We recommend that you get some help from an expert (Endeavour Microsoft Dynamics Consultants) to build and create the custom connections to views or database tables in Dynamics CRM or Dynamics GP before performing your slicing and dicing.  Be sure to periodically reconcile a simple PowerPivot report against your current reporting system to confirm that you are capturing each of the right tables and transactions.

PowerPivot for Microsoft Dynamics

3. Creating budgets within Excel and re-importing them back into Dynamics GP.

Under the Financial Card in Dynamics GP, you can use the ‘Budget Wizard for Excel” to create GP friendly budgets that can be re-imported into GP for actual vs. budget comparisons.  To help kick-start your budgeting process, you can export an Excel budget template with starting data from Microsoft Dynamics GP based on:

  • A percentage change +or- from the open year, or
  • A percentage change +or- from a previous year, or
  • A percentage change +or- from a previous budget, or
  • A blank Excel budget template that you can populate from scratch before re-importing back into Dynamics GP.

Budget template for Dynamics GP

 

For more sophisticated budgeting and forecasts, you may also want to consider Endeavour Solutions’ approved Dynamics ISV partner, Prophix for automated budgeting workflows in support of a collaborative approach to setting budgets and forecasts.  With their new cloud-based options, Prophix is now more affordable for Microsoft Dynamics users in the mid-market. See Endeavour’s dedicated Prophix page at www.endeavoursolutions.ca/Prophix

 

About Endeavour Solutions Inc.

Endeavour Solutions is a Microsoft Gold ERP and Microsoft Silver CRM Partner focusing on development, implementation, upgrades, support and training for Dynamics GP, Dynamics CRM. and Office 365. With offices in Toronto, Halifax, London, Montréal and Edmonton we have more than 400 active clients in every province in Canada. In 2016, Endeavour was named to the Microsoft President’s Club – The top 5% of Microsoft Partners Worldwide.  See our Innovative projects @ www.endeavoursolutions.ca/dynamicsprojects

 

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2016 Microsoft Dynamics President’s Club awarded to Endeavour Solutions

No Comment Jul 12,2016 Microsoft Dynamics CRM, Microsoft Dynamics GP, ModernBiz

Endeavour Solutions earns spot in the 2016 Microsoft Dynamics President’s Club.

This award is based on Endeavour’s client-centric focus and support of SMB and Midmarket customers using Microsoft Dynamics GP and Microsoft Dynamics CRM across Canada and USA.

Microsoft Presidents Club LogoToronto, Ontario, July 11, 2016– Endeavour Solutions Inc. is pleased to announce that it has earned a spot in the 2016 Microsoft President’s Club, an esteemed group representing the top 5% of Microsoft partners worldwide. Although the bar is continually raised year over year, Endeavour has been able to yet again achieve this highly sought after recognition.  Endeavour provides consulting services to over 400 clients using Microsoft Dynamics software and solutions across Canada and a number of States in the USA.

The Microsoft Dynamics President’s Club is for those Microsoft Partners who:

  • Achieve specific strategic business milestones,
  • while also maintaining consistently high levels of customer satisfaction,
  • and demonstrate an active pursuit of technology to advance their solutions and services.

Celebrating its 26th year, Endeavour Solutions provides services to the Microsoft Dynamics GP and CRM communities through its Canadian offices in Toronto, Halifax, London, Edmonton and Montréal.

“We would like to thank all of our clients, both new and long-term.  It is your support that has allowed us to continue to grow and receive recognition annually for hitting new milestones. In FY 2017 our goal is to continue our growth plans, including additional services to bring further value to you, our customers.”

Terry Sunderland, President, Endeavour Solutions Inc.

READ MORE: Official Press Release

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Microsoft Cloud Migration

Deciding to leave Dynamics GP is bittersweet. Our team at GP Support North will miss you, however, our Business Central migration and support team at Endeavour Solutions is eager to help you succeed.