Shout Out for Rockton Software

I continue to be impressed with Rockton Software - both their products and their people.  A project I'm currently working on needed the SmartFill product to search and filter on Customer Items in Sales Transaction Entry, based on the Customer ID in the Sales Order.  Pam at Rockton developed a little customization for me in no time and provided instruction on how to install and configure it.

 

Thanks Pam for awesome customer service!!

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GP 2013 Cookbook

Just finished my first read of the GP 2013 Cookbook and have to say - well done Ian and Mark!  As usual, the content and quality of the material presented is just outstanding.  The writers have taken the original GP 2010 Cookbook, which is excellent in its own right, added GP 2013 new features to it, and offer an excellent resource of tips and tricks that every GP user should have on their bookshelf or in their e-reader.

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Regardless what GP version you're using, this book should be required reading.  It offers golden nuggets that apply GP 2010/2013, and many versions previous.

Great job Mssrs. Grieve and Polino.

Get your copy at PACKT or at Amazon.

MVP for Another Year

I was notified earlier this month that I have been awarded the MVP designation for a 6th year in a row.  I am humbled to hold a spot amongst some very esteemed MVPs who have been re-awarded this month including Mariano Gomez and Jivtesh Singh.  Congratulations fellow MVPs!

An error occurred while initializing or loading an AddIn . . .

I received this error after a new install of GP2013 on my laptop.  Not having yet installed any of the AddIns, it was a bit confusing.  I reviewed the Windows log and it referred to a Communicator conflict.  Jonathan Fear of Microsoft helped me with the tip to resolve - delete the Microsoft.Dynamics.GP.Rtc.dll that resides in the GP2013 folder.  I'm guessing there was a conflict with the latest version of Windows Live Messenger/Skype because I had installed GP2013 prior to converting Live Messenger to Skype and didn't encounter this error.

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Thanks for the help Jonathan!

Book Review - Building Dashboards with GP 2013 and Excel 2013

Well, our friend Mark Polino has hit another one out of the ball park with his latest release - Building Dashboards with Microsoft Dynamics GP 2013 and Excel 2013, affectionately known as BDaMDGP13aE13 :)

Yes the book's title is a mouthful but my, oh my, the content of the book is a library full.  If there's anything you want or need to know about leveraging the BI capabilities that GP 2013 and Excel 2013 bring to the table, you need this book.

 

From creating refreshable Excel reports to drilling back to source data in GP to utilizing PowerPivot, this book has it all.

 

I've just completed my first read of this awesome reference and am applying my new-found knowledge already. 

 

I highly recommend Mark's new book to anyone who has a desire to create and publish extremely powerful, interactive BI tools for GP 2013.

 

Way to go Mark and thanks for sharing your expertise!

You can purchase the book directly from Packt http://www.packtpub.com/building-dashboards-with-microsoft-dynamics-gp-2013-and-excel-2013/book or on Amazon.

How to add those pesky images to Report Writer

I was struggling getting an image to paste into Report Writer recently.  My good friend and colleague David Duncan offered this advice, which works like a charm.

1.     Open Picture Definition window in Report Writer and type in new name of image

2.     Open image in Paint application

3.     Use Select to select entire border around the image

4.     Right click inside the selected area and select Copy

5.     Return to Picture Definition.  Tab from the Picture Name field to the Picture field (border will be selected). Click CTRL+V to paste the image.

Ahhh, the vagaries of Report Writer . . .

Thanks David!

Convergence 2013 is here

With the sun setting over the city of New Orleans last night, we wrapped up our first day here, which was filled with getting out and about, seeing the sights on a perfect, sun-filled, 80 degree day.  The real fun starts tomorrow with the kickoff of the GPUG-hosted GP Partner Connection events and then some partying later in the evening to celebrate St. Patty's day. 

Green beer for all!

Convergence 2013 Just One Week Away!!

I sure am hoping I'll see all my friends and colleagues in The Big Easy this year.  It promises to be a fun and fabulous time for anyone with a desire to learn, network and partay!

This year, in addition to a number of sessions that I'll be presenting or participating in, I have the honor of helping to man the I.B.I.S. booth with many of my co-workers, including the ever-entertaining Mark Polino and two lovely members of the fairer sex, Ms. Abby Moore and Ms. Sandra Dodge, who can tell you all you ever wanted to know about Dynamics GP Project Accounting, and more!

Visit us in Booth #2522 and learn about I.B.I.S.' DynamicsCare services and our exclusive Advanced Distribution Software built on Dynamics AX.  We'll have lots of great give-aways, including a drawing for a cutting-edge technology prize that includes the word Surface in it.

See you there!

Convergence Sessions

Convergence 2013 in 'Nawlins is fast approaching.  Here's a preview of the sessions I'll be involved in or presenting . . .

This session will repeat at 4:00 PM on Thursday, March 21st.

This session will repeat at 5:30 PM on Thursday, March 21st.

Hope to see you all there!

Prevent Users from changing User Date

Some companies have a need to disable the ability to change the User Date in GP.  Out of the box, there isn't a great way to handle this requirement but Ian Grieve, over at Azurecurve in the UK, has a simple, yet elegant solution for this.  Check out Ian's blog post here - User Date.

Wishing everyone a Happy and Prosperous 2013!

 

 

Upgrading to GP 2013 in the near future? Read this first . . .

If you're planning a GP 2013 upgrade anytime soon, take a look at this excellent article at MSDynamicsWorld for some upgrade Tips n Tricks - GP 2013 Upgrade.

GP 2013 RTM (Release to Manufacturing) on December 19, 2012

Read David Musgrave's blog to learn more about the culmination of over 78,000 hours of development by the Microsoft Dynamics GP team - Dynamics GP 2013.

SmartList Divider Splitter Control

If you're like me and have been frustrated to no end over the years because you couldn't drag the divider in SmartList to allow more space in the results pane, our frustration is near its end.  I test drove this Splitter Control by David Musgrave a few months ago before it was approved for release and it works like a charm.  Fellow MVP Mariano Gomez elaborates on his blog - SmartList Splitter Control.

 

Go forth and enjoy and send a hearty thanks to Mr. Musgrave!

Transaction Prefixes in Cost Adjustment Batch

Wonder what the prefixes mean in Cost Adjustment batches?  Well, wonder no more!  The following is a list of the prefixes you would see in the Reference field of a transaction in a cost adjustment (GLTRX) batch and a description of why that prefix would be used. The Reference field can be found in the Transaction Entry, Detail Inquiry, and Journal Entry Inquiry windows.

a. BOM – This comes from a Bill of Materials transaction. For example if a BOM Assembly transaction consumed an item from inventory and the cost was later changed due to a POP purchase price variance (PPV) or an average cost ripple, you would see this reference.

b. INV – This comes from an Invoice transaction created from the Invoicing module. For example if an Invoice transaction (in Invoicing) consumed an item from inventory and the cost was later changed due to a Purchase Order Processing PPV or an average cost ripple you would see this reference.

c. IVT – This comes from an Inventory Transfer Transaction. For example if an item was consumed via the Item Transfer and the costs were later changed due to a PPV or an average cost ripple you would see this reference.

d. IVA – This comes from an Inventory Adjustment transaction. For example if a decrease Inventory Adjustment transaction consumed an item from inventory and the cost was later changed due to a PPV on an invoice match or an average cost ripple you would see this reference.

e. IVV – This comes from an Inventory Variance transaction. For example if a decrease Inventory Variance transaction consumed an item from inventory and the cost was later changed due to a PPV on an invoice match or an average cost ripple you would see this reference.

f. SALES – This comes from a Sales Order Processing Invoice transaction. For example if a Sales Invoice consumed an item from inventory and the cost was later changed due to a PPV on an invoice match or an average cost ripple you would see this reference.

g. PRTN – This comes from a Purchase Order Processing return transaction where doing the return changes the cost of the item.

h. MCTE – This comes from a Manufacturing Component Transaction. For example if an item was issued (consumed) in the Component Transaction Entry window and the cost was later changed due to a PPV or an average cost ripple you would see this reference.

i. MRCT – This comes from a Manufacturing Receipt Transaction. For example if an item was backflushed and consumed in the Manufacturing Receipt Entry window and the cost was later changed due to a PPV or an average cost ripple you would see this reference.

j. MCLS –This comes from Closing a Manufacturing order via the Close process or during a Quick MO (quick MOs are automatically closed). For example if a user closes an MO and there are items that are set to backflush (consumed) and the cost was later changed due to a PPV or an average cost ripple you would see this reference.

k. STCK – This comes from Item Stock Count Variance transaction. For example if a Stock count adjustment consumed an item from inventory and the cost was later changed due to a PPV or an average cost ripple, you would see this reference.

l. FSSC – This comes from selling a Part on a Service Call. For example, an Item was Received into Inventory at one cost and the cost was later changed due to an Invoice Match you would see this reference.

m. FSRMA – This comes from an RMA. For example, you have a quantity of an item at one cost. You create a Credit RMA and receive the item in. You then Scrap the item ( which removes the one already in your inventory ) and later the cost of that item changed due to an Invoice Match you would see this reference.

n. FSRTV – This comes from an RTV. For example, you create a Credit RTV. You Ship an item at one cost and the cost was later changed due to an Invoice Match you would see this reference.

o. FSWO – This comes from using a Part on a Depot Work Order. For example, you create a WO and Use an item from the Parts Information window at one cost and the cost was later changed due to an Invoice Match you would see this reference.

p. PA – This comes from a Project Accounting transaction. For example if a PA Inventory Transfer consumed an item from inventory and the cost was later changed due to a PPV on an invoice match or an average cost ripple, you would see this reference.

q. POP –- This comes from a Purchase Order Processing shipment receipt. For example if an item was consumed through an override in any module and later the shipment was brought in at a different cost than it was when it was consumed (overrode), you would see this reference

r. RECON – You would see this reference if the outflow being revalued was created by the Inventory Reconcile Utility. One reason IV Reconcile would need to create an outflow record is if there are not enough quantities in the IV10201 to support the quantity sold in the IV10200.

s. CONV – You would see this reference if the outflow being revalued was created by the upgrade. The upgrade from an older version of Microsoft Dynamics GP to 9, 10 or GP2010 may need to create an outflow if a receipt record was partially sold at the time of the conversion.

t. PRCT- You would see this reference if the item was overridden on an In-Transit Transfer transaction and then later brought in at a different cost.

Revenue/Expense Codes in Job Costing

A question came up in my 'Using Job Costing as Project Accounting Lite' presentation at GPUG Summit regarding how to determine what bucket in Job Costing a particular Revenue or Expense transaction appears.  Here's the answer:

Manufacturing>>Job Costing>>Transaction List

 

 

 

1.  Enter your new or existing Job Transaction List

2.  Select the Trx Source

3.  Select the Transactions that you want to assign to specific Revenue/Expense Codes

4.  Choose whether to have the transaction Auto Applied to the job when the transaction is selected for the job.

 

If you need more Revenue/Expense Codes, set these up in Manufacturing>>Job Costing>>Rev/Exp Codes.

 

Using these setups, you can determine which revenue or expense buckets in the Job Maintenance window and Job Costing reports your transactions are coded to.

 

Thanks Debbie Clark at Entertainment One Television in Ontario, CA for the question!