GPTip42day - Locking users out of GP

I don't generally suggest or endorse products in this blog but when I run across something that really stands out in terms of 'bang for the buck', I like to share it.

Need to lock users out to perform upgrades or maintenance?  Check out Rockton Software's Dynamics GP Toolbox.  http://www.rocktonsoftware.com/products.aspx?p=12

For a very modest price, the Toolbox provides the ability to lock users out and much more.

GPTip42day - Checklists

Here's a great little feature in GP that I rarely, if ever, see clients use.

Company Checklists can be used to create customized checklists of company routines. You can specify the frequency with which routines should be completed: daily, weekly, on payday, at the end of a period, month, quarter, fiscal year or calendar year, during setup, or at a frequency you choose. Using the Checklist, you can launch a GP window, a GP macro or an external task, such as SmartConnect or Integration Manager - really anything application that is an executable.  Heck, with the right executable on your desktop, you could launch a Delta IV rocket.

When you run a routine from within the Checklist, the date, time, and User ID are captured and stored in the SY02500 table in the Company database so if you want to report on or expose the record to SharePoint to incorporate into a workflow, the data is there to do so.

In the screenshot below, I setup a few routines that might be followed in a typical Financial month-end close.

Financial>Routines>Checklist

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Checklists are provided in almost all GP modules, not just Financial, and could be used for ensuring processes are carried out at any time, not just period end.

I was going to provide instructions on how to set each type of routine up but it's so intuitive with GP Help, I decided to let you have some fun with it on your own.

GPTip42day - Taking the 'Pane' out of Grouping SmartLists

I've never been a big fan of the Navigation Pane in GP9 and prior versions. I just don't like anything taking up my precious desktop space. However, I've found a great use for it.

As you probably know, there is no easy way (perhaps no way at all - I've tried but gave up) to group unrelated SmartLists. Here's the business case -

Client has many branches, with branch ID's ranging from 901 to 935. Each of these branches has 8-10 SmartList Favorites that are identical across branches except they are each defined to be specific to a branch ID. Most are Field Service SmartLists, with a couple Inventory Item SmartLists and a Project SmartList in the mix. Needless to say, multiplying 8-10 SmartList Favorites by 35 branches makes for one large list of Favorites to have to wade through for each branch to find their own.

The solution I came up with was to use the Navigation Pane Shortcuts. Using this tool, you can setup a folder or folders to contain the unrelated SL Favorites for each branch and group them all in the folder. This way, all each user has to do is open that Shortcut folder and voila! there are all their Favorites grouped in one spot.

All you have to do is right click on the Shortcuts Folder and select Add>Folder.  Then rename the folder to suit your needs.  Next, right click on your new folder and select Add>SmartList.  The Add SmartList Favorite Shortcut window opens.  You select the SmartList you want added to the folder and click Done.

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That's all there is to it.

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I'd love someone to tell me there's a way to do this in SmartList or SL Builder but until they do, I'll be recommending this method of SmartList grouping.