Spring 2013
DYNAMICS UNIVERSITY Providing Learning Opportunities for Microsoft Dynamics® Users
On-Time & On-Budget Projects
Tools to make it happen
Electronic Banking
GP 2013 in a browser
What? Why? The considerations, features, and deployment options
Preparing for an
UPGRADE
POLARIS Get the inside scoop
on Microsoft’s latest CRM release DynamicsUniversity.com
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Dynamics University Dynamics University represents the culmination of great ideas and content from the best reselling Microsoft Dynamics partners with a focus on helping Microsoft Dynamics customers achieve more for less. The idea for Dynamics University was born out of a desire to drive greater educational offerings within the Microsoft Dynamics community.
Partner
Location
Advanced Solutions & Consulting Business Ready Solutions
Website
Products
Solana Beach, CA
www.solutionsco.com
Durham, NC
www.businessreadysolutions.net
Cargas Systems Lancaster, PA www.cargas.com Express Information Systems
San Antonio, TX
www.expressinfo.com
Integrated Business Group
Altamonte Springs, FL
www.ibgnet.com
Knaster Technology Group
Englewood, CO
www.theknastergroup.com
Summit Group Software
West Fargo, ND
www.summitgroupsoftware.com
The Resource Group Renton, WA www.resgroup.com The TM Group
Farmington Hills, MI
Turnkey Technologies, Inc.
Chesterfield, MO
www.tmgroupinc.com www.turnkeytec.com
GP CRM RMS SL NAV 2
Dynamics University Spring 2013
Spring 2013
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GP 2013... IN A BROWSER
What? Why? The considerations, features, and deployment options
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Welcome Iris Schimke
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Interview
a conversation with Brian Murray
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Debits & Credits for gp users
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The Bookshelf
The CRM Field Guide
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Customer Feature Fetzer Institute
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Tips & Tricks for crm users
CONTENTS
12 MOVING ON UP
Reasons to consider moving GP to the cloud
14 16
UPGRADE
Insight on the latest CRM Update Rollup
KEEPING IT CLEAN Designing & managing general ledger account structure
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ON-TIME & ON BUDGET
Tools to make it happen
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MOBILITY TO EMPOWER SALES
On the go & informed with mobility features in CRM
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LET US HANDLE THAT
Greenshades software solves everyday payroll & human resource needs
credits Dynamics University is a free magazine published four times a year.
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Request a subscription by going to dynamicsuniversity.com.
INTEGRATION FOR EVERYONE
Josh Behl Executive Editor
With Scribe, integration does not have to be overwhelming
Geniece Kizima Editor in Chief l Design & Layout Kristen Juven Design & Layout l Website Content
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36 39
Insight on the latest CRM Update Rollup
THE POWER OF PRECISION
Sales accuracy and expediency with Experlogix software
SMARTLIST Reminders
POLARIS
40 ELECTRONIC BANKING FOR BUSINESS The efficient process with Microsoft Dynamics GP
47 44
COST < BENEFIT
FOR NONPROFITS Looking at the return side of the ROI equation
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welcome Spring2013 W
ith winter nearing the end and spring around the bend, many will begin the ritual of renewal – otherwise fondly known as “spring cleaning.” While this term conjures up different levels of effort, everyone understands what that means. The ritual can be traced back centuries. Ancient Persia celebrated the Persian New Year (Norouz) on the first day of spring and continues the practice of “khooneh tekouni” which literally means “shaking the house.” Ancient Israel began a tradition of cleaning the home thoroughly – completing on the eve of Passover (which traditionally falls in April). Before 1950 (and the introduction of the vacuum cleaner), North Americans and northern Europeans found a practical reason to spring clean – favorable climate and regional precipitation. It was warm enough to open windows and doors in March yet cool enough to avoid insects. The high winds would carry dust and odors from strong cleaners used during spring cleaning out of the house. In terms of business, what an organization do to satisfy that need to “spring clean” and rebuild at work? For starters, clean off the tops of desks and desk drawers and get ready to embrace the season’s change. Gather input from team members. Prioritize. Focus on what will bring the most value. Perhaps it is streamlining processes with workflow and customizations to eliminate redundant steps in processes. Maybe the organization is contemplating the idea of “going green” and committing to revisit document imaging. It’s come a long way since you last took a look. Take inventory of the team’s wish list today. Talk to your Microsoft Dynamics Partner and get some input on what they have done to eliminate the clutter for other clients. I hope you enjoy the great information in this edition of Dynamics University magazine. There is a wealth of information on Microsoft Dynamics GP 2013, Microsoft Dynamics CRM’s latest release, and interesting new products like Yammer. I hope to see many of you at Convergence in mid-March in New Orleans. Thanks for your continued business!
Iris Schimke – Express Information Systems
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[Interview]
yammer
a conversation with Brian Murray
By Jim Carroll, Advanced Solutions and Consulting
I
recently sat down with Brian Murray from Yammer to learn more about Microsoft’s latest acquisition. Before joining Yammer two and a half years ago, Brian worked for the technology consulting practice of Deloitte. Deloitte was an early adaptor of Yammer and was Brian’s first introduction to the product. Shortly thereafter, Brian joined the Yammer team as a customer success manager. The position involved working with enterprise clients to help extract greater value from the tool by achieving greater adoption and overall success. Brian became the Director of Enterprise Strategy within the Yammer Product Team six months ago and now works as a liaison between internal product and engineering groups within Microsoft to ensure the Yammer experience goes across the many Microsoft enterprise software solutions. Jim Carroll: A lot of our readers are not familiar with Yammer. Can you give an overview? Brian Murray: It’s good to start by looking at the early days of email. Email was a communication breakthrough and it created a change in how we all communicated with one another – both in the consumer and enterprise space. The limitation was that email was linear, or one-to-one, in how it worked. Then in 2007, social networks became the next big communication breakthrough in the consumer space. These new modes of communication provided a more engaging tool. Users could share pictures, see each other, and feel the presence of others. Our founders believed that these tools (like Facebook) provided a better way of interacting with people and it made sense that it needed to be applied to the enterprise.
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Yammer is really a social communication method aimed at the business world. A social experience for employees to share information with team members in a way that is natural and similar to the consumer focused products like Facebook. Jim Carroll: How do most companies start implementing Yammer? Brian Murray: One of the things that really lead to our quick success was the ‘freemium’ model. This was a foreign concept to the enterprise software space. As a small startup, we had to pursue a different distribution method to break through the large vendors like Oracle, Microsoft, and IBM. The idea was that anybody could come in and try the product. All that is needed is a corporate email address for verification purposes. There is no complex configuration required.
We know that if we build up enough value and activity in the Yammer network that companies will want to upgrade to a premium subscription. We want them to try it for free and see value through their own eyes. Jim Carroll: How does Yammer potentially tie into other enterprise applications such as Microsoft Dynamics, SharePoint, or Office 365? Brian Murray: Yammer’s strategy (prior to being acquired by Microsoft) was to develop a lot of the functionality in other collaboration products. As an example, SharePoint has very robust document management and collaboration capabilities. SharePoint was just beginning to get into social when Yammer started to grow. Yammer wanted to compete as a full collaboration suite and was just starting to get into document management. That is why the acquisition made so much sense to both organizations.
The vision now is a single experience. The end user shouldn’t have to think about what product does what. Whether its social capabilities (Yammer), document management capabilities (SharePoint), video conferencing capabilities (Skype), or managing customer information (Microsoft Dynamics), the experience needs to be seamless. We want Yammer to be the engine that drives social feeds into many enterprise products including Microsoft’s SharePoint and Dynamics. We are at the start of that journey but there are integrations available today and the overall experience will become even more natural over time. Jim Carroll: What is the next step for an organization to take advantage of the benefits Yammer brings? Brian Murray: A great action item for anyone reading this article that hasn’t tried Yammer is to visit the site www.yammer.com, sign up and see what it’s all about. It’s simple and easy to use. Yammer is also part of the Office team within Microsoft so, going forward, Yammer will be included within the Office 365 suite of products.
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MICROSOFT DYNAMICS
GP 2013...
IN A BROWSER!
By Randal Mayer, Summit Group Software
A
t the Convergence 2011 Microsoft Dynamics GP General Session, Microsoft announced the pending arrival of a browser based Microsoft Dynamics GP client. With cheers from the users and partners attending the conference, a high level of anticipation and sense of energy was in the waiting for its availability. The announcement went viral in the ERP world with articles appearing from the many talented Microsoft Dynamics bloggers. Investing significant resources and an aggressive development schedule, Microsoft was able to offer an early adopter program and beta release. Through technical conferences, workshops, and webinars, Microsoft provided many learning opportunities. These opportunities provided deployment and user interface experience. Fast forward to December 12, 2012 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Microsoft Dynamics GP 2013 (including the greatly anticipated Web Client feature) was released to manufacturing with the Web Client available today for installation. The deployment of the Web Client should be considered by many when planning and preparing for Microsoft Dynamics GP 2013. This applies to new installations of Microsoft Dynamics GP 2013 and existing installations upgraded from a prior release. Some of the items around Microsoft Dynamics GP 2013 Web Client to consider are
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Dynamics Dynamics University University Spring Spring 2013 2013
WHAT IS IT? The Web Client in the simplest term is Microsoft Dynamics GP running within a web browser. The user interface and functionality of the Web Client closely matches that which Desktop Client users are accustomed to. Combining the Microsoft Dynamics GP Web Client with a cloud-enabled Microsoft Dynamics GP system running on Azure plus Microsoft Office 365 and Microsoft Dynamics CRM online, a complete business solution in the cloud is made available by Microsoft. WHY CONSIDER IT? There are many benefits. Which has the greatest value depends on the organization, number of users and how the users access the application. Beginning with the easiest and possibly greatest benefit - there is no Microsoft Dynamics GP client application software installed to the local computer. A Silverlight 5 application running inside of Microsoft Internet Explorer on the user’s computer presents the Microsoft Dynamics GP application. The Microsoft Dynamics GP process for the user is running on a separate server. This concept is similar to that of Microsoft Dynamics GP application processes running within Terminal Services. As a result, closing the web browser does not end the process or lock the user. Instead, the user’s session remains available to reconnect to and the processes continue to run. For upgrades, service packs, and installations, no change at the workstation is required for users running Microsoft Dynamics GP Web Client. Internet Explorer is required which is installed with Windows. If missing, the Silverlight application will be installed. The Microsoft Dynamics GP Web Client does have benefits over Terminal Services. One benefit is allowing organizations to deploy Microsoft Dynamics GP to more users in more locations, having more features with less administration, and lower memory and server requirements. In accordance with Microsoft Dynamics GP 2013 system requirements, a Terminal Services environment has a 15 – 20 user count total per Terminal Server (4 GB RAM or more). In comparison, a Session Host server, which is the work horse behind the Web Client, has the following user count based on RAM. 4 GB – Up to 25 concurrent Web Client users 8 GB – Up to 60 concurrent Web Client users 12 GB – Up to 125 concurrent Web Client users Key to the Session Host server is sufficient memory and bandwidth. As a result, the Web Client is very scalable by adding memory and Session Host servers. DEPLOYMENT OPTIONS There are various deployment scenarios available for the Web Client. Today, there are small deployments where a single server is installed with the Web Client components. This is a separate server from the SQL Server. It is a great way to deploy the Web Client and experience first-hand
the user interface. The added benefit is the configuration can later be expanded to a multiple server deployment, also known as scale out. Implementing Web Client does not have to be an all or nothing. In a hybrid configuration, a mix of users can be running Web Client, Desktop Client, or both depending on location and convenience. Because the Web Client has a user interface which closely matches the Desktop Client, training existing desktop users on the Web Client is minimal. New users of Microsoft Dynamics GP can use either client during training yet understand both. The look and feel of the Web Client follows closely to that of Microsoft Office, which is familiar to most users. As part of the Web Client, a “ribbon” feature similar to that found in Microsoft Office is included. In addition, a new web based windowing feature that allows users to open multiple screens (just like Microsoft Dynamics GP Desktop Client) without opening multiple browser windows is built into the Web Client. SECURITY CONSIDERATIONS Security to the Web Client is of the utmost importance. There are two layers of security when using the Web Client to run Microsoft Dynamics GP. The first layer is Windows Authentication occurring over https (SSL) connections. The Web Client session is running under the Windows user credentials. The second layer is SQL Server authentication. A SQL login is required to gain access within the Microsoft Dynamics GP runtime. User setup, company access, and user security within Microsoft Dynamics GP is based on the user ID linked to a SQL login. AVAILABLE FEATURES Microsoft has provided a list breaking out the available features into release phases. The release phases are: Phase 1 – Financials, Distribution Phase 2 – Financials, Distribution, Human Resources, Payroll Phase 3 – Financials, Distribution, Human Resources, Payroll, Project Series Phase 4 – Financials, Distribution, Human Resources, Payroll, Project Series, Field Service Phase 5 – Financials, Distribution, Human Resources, Payroll, Project Series, Field Service, Manufacturing
If an organization is using features not released for the Web Client, upgrading to Microsoft Dynamics GP 2013 is still possible as the feature functionality is available with the Desktop Client. The current available phase is Web Client Phase 1 – Financials and Distribution. This includes the following functionality: System Series: Email, Connector, SmartLists, SmartList Builder, Document Attach, Navigation List Builder, OLE Notes, Navigation Lists, Excel Reports, Business Alerts, SRS Reports, Browser, continued on page 22
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gp Debits & Credits Changing Default SmartList Options By Linda Brock, The Knaster Group
Ever wished for an Account SmartList defaulted to a maximum of 3,000 records, or a Vendor SmartList that did
not automatically include City, State, and Postal Code - without having to edit the Search window or the Columns window each time? The good news is the defaults for “out-of-the-box” SmartLists can be changed. Simply open the SmartList Options window by accessing Administration, choose Setup, click System, and click SmartList Options. This handy window allows users to set the default go to, maximum records, default columns, and case sensitivity on searches for all default views in SmartList. Remember, these changes only affect the default (asterisked *) SmartList at the top of each SmartList category. SmartLists with names will not be changed.
Create Multiple Checks to a Single Vendor By Jackie Smith, Integrated Business Group
Many companies have multiple accounts with utility, telephone and cell phone
vendors. For example, there may be eight locations in the same area and all the utility accounts are with the same utility vendor. All payments are remitted to the same address; however, each location has a separate account number. Typically the bills would be paid with one check and often there are problems with the way the vendor applies the payment. This situation can easily be corrected by writing a separate check for each account number. An easy way to do this is with the Remit To functionality. Setup additional addresses for the vendor and use the vendor’s account number as the address id. In this particular example, this results in eight different address id’s and the remit to address is the same on each one. When entering the utility invoices in Payables Transaction Entry, select the Remit To address that matches the bill’s account number. Once run, the checks are printed out by remit to address and a separate check is issued for each account.
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the bookshelf Book Review By Josh Behl, Summit Group Software
The CRM Field Guide
By Lindstrom, J., et al. (ISBN-13: 978-0-9815118-9-4)
Weighing in at nearly 1,000 pages, The CRM Field Guide impresses immediately with the sheer volume of references and content. Beyond just the volume, the value of the book, however, truly resides in its content. What makes this book like many others is the technical guidance it gives – particularly in the installation of components such as the server, Outlook client, Email Router and so on. Perhaps the greatest value in the first five chapters is the section on Email Router configuration and tips. It was the most comprehensive guide on this topic I have encountered. For an IT Administrator tasked with the installation of CRM and its configuration, or for a new Microsoft Dynamics CRM consultant, this book is a necessity. The one chapter that was still good but, (in my estimation) not quite deep enough, was the security chapter. While The CRM Field Guide covered the topic of security and provides some good tips and tricks, it is a little light on practical examples. Security is one of the areas organizations can really struggle with if they have more complex security needs (especially in Banks, Insurance, and Hospitals, etc.). To be fair to the author of this chapter, they did a very good job of talking through the concepts of Field Level Security which can also be a challenge for many customers to understand and implement. The Outlook client installation is handled extremely well in chapter 10. The anecdotal comments and Microsoft MVP tricks related to the installation and configuration make the book a ‘must have.’ The chapter dedicated to the Sales Module stood out among the three application focused chapters. It contains a lot of very good scenarios and practical examples to help better understand the context of the writing. The last chapter to mention is the chapter dedicated to Goal Management. It would be difficult to find a better explanation or guide through this great functionality. What sets this book apart from others is that it does not just stop at the technical aspects of Microsoft Dynamics CRM. As any good consultant or IT manager knows, you must understand the application! The CRM Field Guide does a very nice job of walking through the click by click functionality that a user or consultant would need to know to be effective. This book is certainly a recommended read for anyone working on implementing Microsoft Dynamics CRM in their organization.
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MOVING ON By Kim Anselmo, The Resource Group
UP
Reasons to Consider Moving Microsoft Dynamics GP to the Cloud
M any organizations buying new ERP software solutions today are choosing to host the license in the Cloud â&#x20AC;&#x201C; mean-
ing the software is leased instead of purchased out-right. Does that mean the thousands of Microsoft Dynamics GP clients who own an on-premise license do not have an option or reason to consider the Cloud? Absolutely not! Companies have the option of moving that on-premise license to the Cloud. Here are some important reasons to consider the jump.
Microsoft Dynamics GP SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS) is Pre-Configured
Microsoft Dynamics GP has more than 250 out-of-the-box SSRS reports to use with the system. However, using SSRS does require the maintenance of another application which the IT staff may or may not have the time to do. Plus, 12
Dynamics University Spring 2013
organizations need to ensure the required software is owned which could include IIS (Internet Information Services), SQL Server, and Report Server depending on the version of Microsoft Dynamics GP. When hosting the solution in the Cloud, the SSRS reports are pre-configured and included to start using. The Cloud provider acts as IT support to update and maintain the system requirements for accessing and using SSRS.*
The Organization Includes International and Multiple Site Locations
For organizations that have international offices or multiple locations, those sites most likely need access to Microsoft Dynamics GP as well. Imagine how easy it would be to instantly give those other locations access to business critical data with a secure, remote login, especially if the business is in growth mode. In the Cloud, organizations can quickly and easily turn on access for that site for Microsoft Dynamics GP - no onsite setup required.
Microsoft Dynamics GP Enhancement is Lapsed or Doesn’t Fit the Budget to Renew Annually
Every Microsoft Dynamics GP client knows how important it is to keep the yearly enhancement plan up to date in order to have access to tax updates, support, and the latest version. However, if the on-going cost of renewing the enhancement plan is not feasible for the organization, licensing the software in the Cloud may be a viable option. The company no longer would have an on-premise license but the new hosted license would now be a set monthly fee to more easily manage and budget.
Upgrading to Microsoft Dynamics GP 2013
The release of Microsoft Dynamics GP 2013 is very exciting with more than 200 new features and a web-client. As with each new release, system requirements have to be reviewed internally to ensure that the organization’s servers and software are compatible. This process is typically done by the IT staff and will take time and possibly money to upgrade a server or workstation. When hosting Microsoft Dynamics GP in the Cloud, the provider takes care of the system requirements. As long as there is a workstation with access to the Internet, the organization will be ready to roll with the upgraded system.
Increase IT Staff Productivity by Reducing Administrative Work
Moving to the Cloud can be a sensitive topic for IT departments – possibly threatening job security if the solution is hosted. Instead, help the IT department imagine how hosting Microsoft Dynamics GP (and perhaps the Infrastructure) could help reduce the amount of administrative time required by that team. The IT team could instantly be more strategic and efficient by driving greater business value and insight doing additional work such as developing reports, dashboards, and integrations with external systems. Which is preferred: A break-fix IT team or a strategically focused IT team? There are options for current on-premise Microsoft Dynamics GP licenses to host in the Cloud and it could possibly help reduce expenses and increase efficiency inside the organization. Talk to a Microsoft Dynamics GP Partner about Cloud options today. Most will help do a cost analysis so a well-informed decision can be made. *All Cloud providers may not offer SSRS pre-configured. Please ensure the host you are working with offers this service.
Come by booth 1255 at Convergence to learn more about our Hosted Super Solution!
myappsanywhere.com
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Preparing for an By Mike Bodine, Cargas Systems
P
reparing for an upgrade can be a challenging time for anyone or any organization. Upgrades and installations bring change to an organization – which can be disruptive and cause issues if not handled properly. There are two primary factors that can help ensure the change goes as smoothly as possible: Preparation and Communication. These may sound like common sense parts of any system upgrade, but many times these are neglected in favor of expediting the upgrade process. That can be a very costly mistake in terms of time and money.
PREPARATION
In general, every upgrade and installation has the potential to impact an organization both positively and negatively. Think of something as simple as a RAM upgrade for a single user’s workstation. Adding the RAM may take five minutes to install, make that user’s system more responsive, and enable more productivity. However, if something goes wrong during the installation and causes the computer to malfunction, the user could experience extended downtime. This delay could impact not only the specific user, but also that user’s co-workers, customers, and vendors. For this reason, it is important to prepare properly for any upgrade or installation – no matter how small – and to be aware of the people or processes potentially impacted by that change.
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Dynamics University Spring 2013
COMMUNICATION
In preparing for an upgrade or installation, most people think about the system requirements first and start by reviewing any documentation supplied by the vendor. It is very important to realize that every company is different and most documentation is only a guideline for what will be needed. In order to fully understand the true requirements, communicate with:
1 End Users: To identify what
portions of the system are currently used and possible new features to add.
2 Software/Hardware Vendors: To
help with scaling the environment based on actual usage and to identify required licensing and products.
3 Networking/Infrastructure
Team: To identify the products and services internal and external to the environment that need to be upgraded in order to accommodate the system requirements.
4 Decision-Making/Management
Team: To approve any scheduled downtime and additional purchases. For any upgrade, it is critical to identify the potential for downtime and work disruption. Communicating that to end users and vendors is very important before, during, and after the upgrade.
SCHEDULING
The upgrade schedule may have to take into account high system utilization times and time-sensitive business processes – like month-end or payroll. So ensure awareness of the total time that will be available for the upgrade, including time for troubleshooting. If the upgrade of systems is planned for off-hours, ensure hardware and software vendors are aware of the timing and are available to assist with support since even the best planned processes can have issues. Be sure to plan for an efficient way of communicating delays in the timing and know who those delays will impact. And, of course, always have a backup plan in case everything needs to be rolled back.
USER IMPACT
Another critical item is identifying which users will have changes to daily processes after the upgrade or installation is complete. The changes may require additional training for new features in the software or maybe even a new operating system. Training can take significant time, so make sure to prepare for it by allocating enough time in the upgrade schedule. After the upgrade or installation is done, it is important to communicate to the end users what the next steps are. If the upgrade or installation is conducted during off-hours and end users need to test the system before it goes into production, plan to have the appropriate people available and to clearly communicate to those users when the system is available to test.
ACCELERATE,
UPGRADE,
REPORT AND
ANALYZE IN
GP 2013
Finally, be sure to get feedback from end users and vendors to make sure that the upgrade met expectations and identify what improvements can be made for future upgrades. Armed with this feedback, the team can work to make the next upgrade or installation even smoother.
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Keeping It Cle Designing and Managing Effective General Ledger Account Structure The Dynamic University’s Microsoft Dynamics implementation partners have successfully implemented Microsoft Dynamics GP in many different industries and in businesses of all different sizes. While each business may use a different set of
functionality or modules, one thing they all have in common is the need for a Chart of Accounts that can produce the financial reports needed to perform effective financial analysis. It is the foundation upon which the rest of the system is designed.
However, often three to five years after implementing Microsoft Dynamics GP, most companies do not look the same as they did when they initially implemented. These organizations often expand into new geographies, add or
drop product lines, make acquisitions, or are acquired. In addition, the budgeting and planning processes become more fine-tuned with experience. As a result, companies need to continually edit and update the chart of accounts.
Chart of Accounts Overview In Microsoft Dynamics GP, the chart of accounts is configured in four important steps. At the foundation is the development
of the account framework. The account framework is set during the installation of Microsoft Dynamics GP and it defines the maximum number of total characters for the account, the maximum number of segments in an account, and the maximum number of characters in each segment. Every company database that is subsequently created within this instance of Microsoft Dynamics GP must have an account structure that conforms to this framework. In most cases this is not an issue as the default
framework has maximum characters (50), maximum segments (10), and maximum characters for each segment (6). Changing the account framework after implementation is possible but generally a very expensive and time-consuming process. A typical account structure of a small business may be two segments set up as: Main account – four characters Department – two characters
A larger company may need four segments set up as: Company – two characters Division – two characters
Main Account – four characters Department – two characters
Once the account structure is set, users create a list of valid values for each segment and create a list of valid accounts (combinations of segments). Clean, continued on page 23
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ean By Bob Callanan, Business Ready Solutions
DynamicsUniversity.com
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ON-TIME & ON-BUDGET PROJECTS By Ken Jacobsen, The TM Group
[
]
Walking on water and developing software from a specification are easy if both are frozen. - Edward Berard
When The TM Group first started doing Microsoft Dynamics CRM implementations years ago, it required refinement and formalization of the implementation process. Having started as a Great Plains Accounting for DOS partner in 1984, The TM Group completed hundreds of accounting projects. Accounting is a very structured application that follows generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) and enjoys fairly straightforward implementation – until getting into the more operational modules such as project accounting, distribution, and manufacturing. After starting to complete Microsoft Dynamics CRM implementations, it was quickly figured out that better project management processes were needed. Microsoft Dynamics CRM is designed to be highly extendable and tailored to a customer’s specific needs. “As you start to implement Microsoft Dynamics CRM, the client starts to see more and more of what the application can do,” explains Kevin Alexander, Microsoft Dynamics Solution Architect. “If we don’t scope out the work to be performed and have the client sign off on that scope at the beginning of a project, then we can have big problems with scope creep, missed deadlines, exceeded budgets, and poor client satisfaction.”
[
]
It would be easy if customer requirements were frozen, but no one works in a tundra world. No two customers are alike and neither are any two projects.
Projects can be categorized into three general types: Standard, advanced, and custom/xRM. Each project type is different and may require additional steps and deliverables but there are also many similar tools such as a statement of work (SOW), timelines, change orders, and “parking lots” that should be used across all three types of projects.
Park It
The parking lot is a term that The TM Group Microsoft Dynamics CRM team uses to describe items that come up during a project after a project’s scope has been frozen by an accepted statement of work. These are things that users identify during a project that would be nice to have, but were not defined in the original project plan and statement of work. Sometimes these items are added to the current project, but usually they are kept in the parking lot until the initial project is completed and the next phase is being planned. One recent customer implementing a standard type of Microsoft Dynamics CRM project had a parking lot with goals and dialogs in it. These were features that were not in the project SOW. The items came up as the client started to become familiar with the solution but the client either did not have the existing processes to support them or it wasn’t known yet how the users would use, analyze, or measure them. This client was very good about not deviating from the original project goal of replacing currently used SalesForce.com – which was mainly pipeline and contact management. Consequently, the project was on time and under budget. 18
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Agree on Scope
When working with an advanced type of Microsoft Dynamics CRM project which is more complex but doesn’t include development or custom integrations, it starts with a review of a client’s business processes in order to create a functional requirements document (FRD). The FRD states the understanding of the client’s functional needs for the areas they are implementing (such as opportunities, accounts, contacts, marketing, and service). “The FRD includes current processes, what we’re going to do, how we’re going to do it, and how we’re going to test it,” explains Alexander. “It is a pretty simple one-page document that ensures the consultant and the client are on the same page.” Once the client agrees that the FRD is accurate, a SOW is created that includes the hours and timeline for delivering the FRD. Once the SOW is accepted, the project scope is frozen and if anything comes up that is outside of what was included in the SOW, it is added to the parking lot. However, if the client really needs the feature/function, then a change order (CO) is created (which may change the target go-live date and the project budget). Change Orders do not always mean a project may require more hours —the addition may actually fit into the original project budget. However, if a project does go over budget, the COs help to explain why. Change Orders are most common for advanced and custom/xRM projects.
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} CALL: 877-780-4848 | } avalara.com/dynamics |
Manage Evolving Scope
Like an advanced type of project, a custom/xRM project starts with functional requirement documents that serve as the basis of the Statement of Work. However, custom integrations to other systems or custom development included in this type of project warrant the creation of functional design documents (FDDs) that are created after the FRD and SOW are accepted. An FDD is written by the development team based on the FRD, which is written by the consulting team. It shows how the custom component will be designed to fulfill the FRD. It may include the technology, data schema, user interface wireframe, integration mappings, create/write/update/delete rules, and testing plan. With a custom/xRM type of project, it is often hard to freeze the scope of the project. Because these types of projects are “business transformational” in nature, the requirements may change and evolve during the project as multiple departments get involved. Often, business processes are discovered that weren’t generally known to the client’s management team. Consequently, the development components of the project may need to be run in sprints or smaller cycles – especially if the organization’s needs are changing or evolving. Using sprints makes the process easier to manage and shows progress toward the completion of these typically large, complex projects. Otherwise the projects may seem to go on forever with no end in sight — and both client and partner morale may suffer. Although this discussion has been focused on Microsoft Dynamics CRM projects, these same principles and tools apply to ERP systems and other project types. A financial implementation that includes general ledger, receivables, and payables would be a standard type of a project. On the other hand, an advanced type of ERP project could include financial modules and more operational modules such as sales order processing, purchasing, inventory, manufacturing, project accounting, or multi-entity management. The custom/xRM type, or a complex ERP project, would include both financial and operational modules as well as integrations to other systems, custom development of some mission-critical components, or some advanced reporting type of functionality. The same tools — functional requirements documents, statements of work, change orders, functional design documents, and the parking lot — can be used to freeze the scope of a project and ensure projects come in on time and on budget.
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The ADP logo and ADP are registered trademarks of ADP, Inc. In the business of your success is a service mark of ADP, Inc. © 2012 ALINE Pay by ADP is a registered service mark of ADP, Inc. ALINE Card by ADP is a registered service mark of ADP, Inc. Microsoft Dynamics is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation
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Mobility to
EMPOWER Sales
with Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 By Michael Ramatowski, Ben Harrison & Rokas Varanavicius Turnkey Technologies, Inc.
T he last thing a salesperson wants to hear before walking into a customer’s office is, “Your company’s service is
getting worse and worse by the day. Yesterday’s shipment arrived late and on top of that … included the wrong items.” That well-planned sixty minutes of precious face-to-face time with a customer who is a perfect prospect for a new product or service will now be spent doing damage control. Given the customer’s history and relationship with the organization; there was confidence in the ability to cross-sell into this account and make a big impact on the quota. The next grueling hour is spent trying to figure out what happened on an unplanned and uncomfortable conference call with the service department - from the customer’s office. Attempts are made to chase down information and develop an on-the-fly plan to keep the customer happy. If only these issues were known before, the impact to the customer could have been minimized sooner and more a productive meeting could have been held as planned. Having access to everything about a customer or prospect’s relationship with the organization is what Microsoft calls a “holistic view.” A holistic view ensures that every team member is informed about all interactions between the organization and the customer which is one of the most impactful benefits Microsoft Dynamics CRM offers. The challenge for sales people is having access to that holistic view when and where needed. Compiling information is great, but its value is greatly diminished if salespeople can only access it from the office or if getting to
Platform
Microsoft Internet Explorer
Moxilla Firefox
Google Chrome
Apple Safari
Windows XP***
Version 8
Version 16+
Version 22+
Not Supported
Windows Vista***
Version 8 & 9
Version 16+
Version 22+
Not Supported
Windows 7***
Version 9 & 10**
Version 16+
Version 22+
Not Supported
Windows 8***
Version 10**
Version 16+
Version 22+
Not Supported
Apple OS X 10.7 (Lion)
Not Supported
Version 16+
Not Supported
Version 6+
Apple OS X 10.8 (Mountain Lion)
Not Supported
Version 16+
Not Supported
Version 6+
Apple iOS (iPad)
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Supported +
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the data remotely is slow and cumbersome. Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 includes significant enhancements around “mobility.” Now, customer-facing team members can be better prepared and have convenient remote access to critical information wherever it is needed. Empowered with information, team members can plan a strategy for each meeting and stick to it rather than being blown off course and losing control. Enhanced mobility features to Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 will be released in stages over Quarter 1 and Quarter 2 of 2013. The following features are described based on current information available at the time of writing this article and are subject to change.
Cross Browser Support
Microsoft has incorporated cross-browser functionality in Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 with its Polaris release, offering users access to live information and a great user experience over a variety of devices and browsers. The chart to the left details the latest information regarding platforms and browsers supported. The minimum screen resolution required to access Microsoft Dynamics CRM on a device is 800x600. Cross-browser functionality is free, requires no installation on the mobile device and presents information through a rich user interface with the same look and feel as the current Internet Explorer version. Powerful features including Dashboards, BING Maps embedded to customer records, and a “flatter” user interface to deliver a Microsoft Office 13 look and feel are included with this version. For CRM users with an unsupported device, Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 Mobile Express delivers Microsoft Dynamics CRM information through an HTML 4.0 application. This web-based solution requires no installation and includes a UI configurator, so the application can be configured to the unique needs of an organization’s users with out-of-the-box tools and functionality. Microsoft is moving towards the HTML 5 platform which will expand access and native support as well as full functionality to more devices moving forward. Mobility, continued on page 33
Simple. Streamlined. Paperless. Transaction Automation | Electronic Workflow for Approvals Document Management for Dynamics | SharePoint Integration
Call 877-PAPER-99 or Register for an event at www.papersavepro.com/events VISIT US BOOTH AT 322 PaperSavePro and the PaperSavePro logo are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Solutions@MBAF, LLC.
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Modifier, Word Forms, Report Writer Reports, Business Analyzer, Account Level Security, eConnect, Web Services, VAT Daybook, Shipping Documents, Tax Rates. Financials Series (General Ledger, Payable Management, and Receivables Management): Bank Reconciliation, Direct Debit Refunds, Fixed Assets, Multilingual Checks, Intercompany, Control Account Management, Multi-Currency, Cash Flow Management, Customer/Vendor Consolidations, Encumbrance, Interfund Management, Forecaster, Lock Box, Revenue/Expense Deferrals, National Accounts, Electronic Reconcile, EFT, Refund Checks, Safe Pay, Management Reporter, Web Viewer, Analytical Accounting, Multi-Dimensional Analysis, Scheduled Payments. Distribution Series (Inventory, Sales Order Processing, and Purchase Order Processing): Advanced Distribution, Advanced Picking, Available To Promise, PO Approvals, PO Commitments, In-Transit Transfer, PO Generator, PO Returns, Extended Pricing, Landed Cost. The Desktop Client does have functionality not available within the Web Client. This would be a scenario where a Desktop Client is required. The following items are not available: Excel Report Builder, Drill Down Builder, Modifier, Field Level Security, Integration Manager, Payment Services, Concur Expense, Excel Based Budgeting, Analysis Cube Report creation, Grant Management, Bill of Materials, Professional Service Tools Library. At the time of writing of this article, Microsoft has shared Phase 2 – Financials, Distribution, Human Resources, Payroll is expected to release within the March / April 2013 timeframe. NEXT STEPS Contact a Microsoft Dynamics GP Partner to request a demonstration of the Web Client. Ask for the Microsoft Dynamics GP 2013 and Web Client system requirements and seek out training webinars like “What’s New in Microsoft Dynamics GP 2013,” available via Dynamics University. Give users greater choice and flexibility for using Microsoft Dynamics GP. Start planning and preparation today for deploying the Microsoft Dynamics GP 2013 Web Client.
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Clean, continued from page 16
Design Tips
In designing a chart of accounts, there are a few characteristics that make for a good chart of accounts: Easy to follow and understand. Data entry users need to be able to quickly locate account numbers to stay efficient with the system. Start simple. If starting with two segments today, it is not difficult to add a third segment at a later time, as long as the new segment is added to the end of the account number. Have a cushion. If there are seven departments today, define those using two digits rather than one. Avoid alphanumeric keys. For data entry users, numbers are easier to enter and to remember than alphanumeric keys or abbreviations. Generic with enough detail. The main account should be generic enough to apply across all the other segments, but have enough detail to budget and plan effectively. This is difficult to balance and it may never be perfect, but hopefully it will be close.
The Design Process
The design of chart of accounts needs to include all the stakeholders – this includes other departments internally as well as external stakeholders including VCs, bankers, tax preparers, auditors and more. Too often ownership of the design stays within the Finance team – or worse – gets assigned to the implementation team. The chart of accounts affects all functional areas of a business and that input is critical. The design also needs to consider the subsidiary modules and external solutions that feed transactional data into the chart of accounts. Each module has options for how it interfaces with the chart of accounts but do not assume every option exists. Input from a Microsoft Dynamics implementation partner is critical in this step. Similarly, the design process should consider the financial reporting tool to be used – Management Reporter for example. Management Reporter was developed to allow a user to quickly create financial reports using the “main account” to define the rows on a report and all the other segments to define the financial reporting structure.
Management Reporter Considerations
A well designed financial report clearly requires a well designed general ledger account structure. But Management Reporter has a number of less-used features that help overcome any shortfalls in the existing structure. Many Microsoft Dynamics GP clients have not invested in assigning accurate account categories in the chart of accounts. Account categories are a great tool for creating summary financials in Management Reporter. For example, a company with two segments - account and location - initially assigned all operating expenses in the 6000 and 7000 account range. The finance team is now asked to produce summary financials each month but the operating expenses must be categorized as payroll and benefits, facilities, marketing, or other administrative. Rather than redesigning the entire account structure, the team creates additional account categories and re-assigns each GL account. In Management Report, a new row definition is created that calls for the account category rather than the main account. Using the same scenario as above, the finance team has assigned certain employees budget responsibility for certain GL accounts and now needs to produce a monthly budget to actual report for each budget owner. Finance utilizes the first user-defined field for each GL account to store the Employee ID. In Management Reporter, a new reporting tree is created that references the user defined field. Finally, a new report is created that uses an existing row definition and the new reporting tree to produce separate P&L reports for each budget owner. If an organization has yet to implement Microsoft Dynamics GP, the time invested now in developing an effective chart of accounts can create enormous time savings for the team and enable quick production of financial reports stakeholders need to properly analyze the business. Maybe the organization has been running Microsoft Dynamics GP for a number of years and the account structure has not kept up with changes in the business. Your Microsoft Dynamics GP partner is there with some creative approaches to getting the most out of what you do have.
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CONVERGENCE 2013 A World Ahead
New Orleans, LA Ernest N. Morial Convention Center About Convergence As the premier event for the Microsoft Dynamics Customer and Partner business community, Convergence is where opportunity and innovation meet to deliver real business value. It’s the chance to make key business connections and to discover the full potential of Microsoft Dynamics solutions.
Featured Events 3.18
6:00 – 9:00pm
3.19
9:00 – 10:30am
3.21
9:00 – 10:30am
3.21
7:30 – 11:00pm
Convergence Experience Reception Join us as we kick-off Convergence 2013! This year we are starting things off in the hub of it all - the Convergence Experience Center. This is your opportunity to get familiar with the amazing resources and activities in this area that are available to you all week - from the hottest solutions and offerings from our partners from around the globe, to the multiple opportunities to network with your peers. And no reception would be complete without food and beverages, a little music and entertainment, and other fun activities that await - all with some great New Orleans flavor kicked in!
Opening Keynote - Kirill Tatarinov The Opening Keynote is our time for the community to come together as the course is set for both the future of Microsoft Dynamics and your time at Convergence 2013. Join Kirill Tatarinov, President of Microsoft Business Solutions Division, Microsoft Corporation, as the stories unfold and the vision is revealed for A World Ahead.
Keynote - Kofi Annan Join us as the Microsoft Dynamics community gathers together to consider our role in the global community. Kofi Annan, former Secretary-General of the United Nations (1997-2006), will draw from his deep experience in the world of international diplomacy to offer stories, insight and advice about leadership and cooperation in a global business environment.
Convergence Closing Celebration – Matchbox Twenty As Convergence comes to a close, get ready to celebrate a great week! You definitely won’t want to miss this closing party—complete with terrific food and beverages, fun activities, and an amazing concert with Matchbox Twenty! It’s the perfect way to celebrate with friends and colleagues and cap off your Convergence 2013 experience! 24
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Meet us at the Expo Stop by the Dynamics University sponsor booths.
booth #1956
booth #2113
booth #2151
booth #1255
booth #2137
booth #322
booth #321
booth #636
booth #2330
booth #1050
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booth #420
booth #452
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customer feat By Ken Jacobsen, The TM Group
Achieving Their Mission Fetzer Institute fosters awareness of the power of love and forgiveness using Microsoft Dynamics software
“Love is the core energy that rules everything... love is the one ingredient that holds us all together.” – John Fetzer
About Fetzer
Promoting love and forgiveness throughout the world is no easy task, but that is exactly the mission of the Fetzer Institute in Kalamazoo, Michigan. The Fetzer Institute is a private operating foundation established by broadcast pioneer John E. Fetzer (1901-1991). Founder of Fetzer Communications, a national broadcasting empire that included radio, television, cable and closed-circuit music transmission, John Fetzer also owned the Detroit Tigers from 1956 to 1983.The sale of the baseball team and his media company provided the funding to establish the endowment for the Fetzer Institute. As an operating foundation, the Institute spends at least 85 percent on its programs and with its partners for projects aligned with its mission. This is different from grant-making foundations, which can be public or private and have the principal purpose of making grants.
When The TM Group met with representatives of the Institute, they were using a custom Oracle financial system; MicroEdge GIFTS for program management with a custom integration to Oracle; and a lot of Microsoft Office Excel spreadsheets that were manually updated. The Institute wanted to streamline processes and get off the current custom accounting system.
The Fetzer Institute wanted to replace GIFTS – which works well for grant-making foundations but not for an operating foundation like Fetzer that manages programs done both internally and by outside consultants. They have their own conference facilities and needed a system that could manage its site lodging, culinary, and conference room details. They were also using Excel to manage budget tracking and board allocations of funding. Once a year, the board reviews the next program year’s available funding and hears proposals from the staff on projects to be funded. Funds are then allocated by the board for approved projects whose budgets can often span years. The allocation of funds and management of project budgets were tracked in both Excel and GIFTS which required a lot of manual entry and data checking. Fetzer, continued on page 46 26
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ture
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Greenshades
LET US
Many challenges face Payroll and Human Resource (HR) Administrators today. Cumbersome piles of tax information, W2s, paystubs and time sheets overrun desks. Double entry of information not only reduces efficiency, but doesn’t allow for focus on business essential tasks and questions from employees. Let’s take a look at a week in the life of Sue, a HR/Payroll Administrator.
Monday
Sue welcomes a new employee to the company. After new hire orientation, the new employee fills out new hire forms and direct deposit information. First, he fills out a paper sheet containing employee contact information, which is then transcribed into the system by Sue. Next, he signs up for direct deposit – but he forgot to bring a voided check so Sue must skip this step and make a note to remind him the following day. Then it is off to walking the new employee through a slow and tedious process of reviewing and signing off on company policies and other vital human resource documents. Additionally, Sue still has to answer regular employee questions and manage her regular daily tasks. That’s where Greenshades comes in to say, “Let us handle that.” The Greenshades Online Self-Service portal is a web based application that carries a direct integration with Microsoft Dynamics GP. Say goodbye to data entry and have employees complete new hire paperwork and other necessary human resource documents electronically. From employee handbooks, dependent information, emergency contacts, direct deposit enrollment to I-9 E-Verify, Greenshades Online can help from start to finish.
Tuesday
It’s time for Sue to manage time and attendance. She needs to coordinate with her managers and log through paper PTO slips to identify who has asked off for what days – and then verify that the employee actually took the PTO. After Sue has tracked down all of the managers, she collects all of the paper timecards, verifying with managers once again the time is correct. Finally, she is back at her desk ready for some serious data entry back into Microsoft Dynamics GP. “Let us handle that.” The Greenshades Online portal is built from the ground up to specifically address the challenges that Microsoft Dynamics GP users face with time and attendance. Why spend thousands of dollars and months of implementation when there is a simple solution that can be setup in about an hour?
Wednesday
Sue is not only running payroll but also has to prepare for Open Enrollment by making hundreds of copies for the upcoming Benefits information plus prepare and update the codes in Microsoft Dynamics GP. Oh wait! Sue forgot to set up the new employee’s benefits information in Microsoft Dynamics GP on Monday. After setting up the correct benefit and deduction codes, Sue has to remind herself to find out if he is even eligible for Benefits immediately. Which plan was he offered? “Let us handle that.” Greenshades Online takes the headache of managing benefits away. Sue no longer has to worry about manually setting anything up in Microsoft Dynamics GP, and she certainly does not have to worry about getting any documentation out to the employee –it’s already there on Greenshades’ web-based portal.
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HANDLE THAT By Chris Hadden, Greenshades
thursday
Sue is ready to take on some expense reports. After going through logs of emails between managers and employees, she has identified what is owed to the employee. But wait, where is the receipt? Time to track down that employee again. After spending a few hours on this, Sue can start to focus on employee evaluations and performance reviews. She needs to track down all of the managers and remind them of their upcoming employee reviews. Jerry in Logistics lets her know that Tom and Mark have both been having some tardiness issues again. That gets Sue thinking, “I wonder how other employees are doing with tardiness?” “Let us handle that.” The Greenshades Online portal tracks employee expenses and even allows employees to upload receipts from smart phones. Not only can this help Sue track and approve expenses, but this will even push back directly into Microsoft Dynamics GP upon approval. And while the manager is approving some expenses submitted, they can go ahead and start on the upcoming employee performance evaluations since they are reminded of which employees are coming due – both on Greenshades Online and via automated e-mail reminders.
friday
It’s time for Sue to make sure all employees’ direct deposit statements were sent out. It seemed like such a cost effective choice to offer direct deposit to employees but Sue still has to send out paper statements each week. So, where is the savings? “Let us handle that.” Greenshades Online shows employees payroll information online. Instead of Sue spending precious time handing out paper earning statements, she can spend her time on more meaningful and business critical operations.
saturday
Sue is relaxing with her morning coffee when it hits her. Sue never took care of her payroll taxes this week. It looks like Sue will have to write off this Saturday and head back to the office, run through her necessary reports, navigate through her own Microsoft Office Excel spreadsheet that she has been updating for years now, identify the payment amounts due and the returns coming due, and then navigate through all of those challenging websites in order to get these taxes in on time. “Let us handle that.” Not to worry, the Greenshades Online portal helps manage all of these payroll taxes, track when they are coming due, and even alert Sue via e-mail. And since it is web based, Sue won’t need to drive into the office to manage this. She can simply log in to the Greenshades Online portal and have these taxes submitted in a matter of minutes. At Greenshades, we hear these stories every day; they are not new to us. We have been working with Microsoft Dynamics GP Payroll and HR clients since 1993 and have built solutions to solve everyday Payroll and HR needs. Greenshades is in the business of solving problems for our clients. Payroll and HR isn’t easy, but it can be with a little help. Work smarter. Save time. Save money. Go green. If you would like more information or have questions, contact your Microsoft Dynamics Partner or Greenshades Software directly. Information can be found online at www.greenshades.com.
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INTEGRATION ]
]
ALMOST ALL ORGANIZATIONS CAN ATTAIN THE BENEFITS OF INTEGRATION – THERE ARE A RANGE OF OPTIONS TO FIT MOST BUDGETS AND PROBLEMS
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Dynamics DynamicsUniversity UniversitySpring Spring2013 2013
N FORMade EVERYONE possible by Scribe By Betsy Billhorn, Scribe Software
L
ast year, Scribe performed a study focused on understanding what customers and partners were considering in regard to customer data, Microsoft Dynamics CRM, and how it is integrated with the rest of the organization’s business operations. The study revealed only 15% of respondents had fully integrated Microsoft Dynamics CRM or customer facing systems.
That is pretty low.
On one hand, it is a great opportunity for integration vendors like Scribe. On the other hand, it shows there is a lot of work to do to make integration accessible to businesses large and small. Results of the study showed businesses understood the value of data integration but it was somewhat difficult to figure out how to make it happen. Integration is somewhat like deciding to run a first marathon. Some start with the all-in "We have to integrate everything!" attitude and realize the complexity, commitment, and price is too high. And as a result, integration is not done. Others run too fast and too hard – “We're going to integrate our financial operations with Microsoft Dynamics CRM in 10 days!” Only to find the integration failed or is half working. Organizations started integration projects and ran into roadblocks such as an integration approach was
not the right fit, the tool chosen was complex or hard to learn, or the organization had a poor experience with the implementer. The company walked away and resolved to think integration is too hard, too complex, too expensive, and just undoable. Almost all organizations can attain the benefits of integration – there are a range of options to fit most budgets and problems. To successfully implement integrations, there are a few key elements to consider.
Be Real.
Depending on what users read in the media, integration is often presented as an enterprise vision of all user systems and data talking together. Important business phrases like operational efficiencies, customer centric and social enterprise, line of business effectiveness, and the challenge of engagement are used a lot. Sounds very strategic and grand, right? Even when toning down a level to talk about solutions to business problems, talk is still "large" like front office to back office, social, and supply chain. What does integration of a Microsoft Dynamics CRM system with an ERP system mean exactly? What is the actual benefit? Where and what is needed to start? What is most cost effective?
This is Project Management and Planning 101 but it is worth repeating - step back and look at the business problem needing the solution. Be tactical and find things that will have impactful results that can be seen, felt and touched. It is often the little things which make the biggest impact for sales or support teams.
Live Within Means.
Understanding the cost – money, resources, and time – is important. Setting a budget and sticking to it is equally important. Combined with a realistic integration goal, budgets drive the approach and help to narrow down choices to a reasonable level. It is easy to get wrapped up into “well, this has MDM capability for only $500 a month more.” If the organization can’t define MDM or how to it applies tactically, resist the urge to buy for “someday” or “for only $$$ we can do XYZ too”. To ensure success and encourage the business to want more integration, stick to the plan and the budget. Large startup costs or an enterprise platform are not necessary to get the benefits of integration for the business. There are a range of integration options out there, some starting as low as $99 a month (like Scribe). Integration, continued on page 32 DynamicsUniversity.com
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Integration, continued from page 31
The Right Tool for the Job.
No one would build a house with a screwdriver or drive in nails with a sledgehammer. The same is true for integration. Buy the right tool for the right job. If integrating Microsoft Dynamics CRM to Microsoft Dynamics GP is the most major business problem and goal, look at vendors that have products with application specific connectors and templates to get you there with a minimum of fuss and custom work.
Plan for the Future.
This is a tricky one – the organization does not want to blow the budget or get overwhelmed with an integration platform. But, companies also don’t want to pick an integration approach or platform that is so limited that 6 – 12 months later something else must be purchased to accomplish the expanded integration needs. Make sure that the integration platform has enough flexibility to change as needed and that it has a suitable range of connectivity options that can add other applications or endpoints to later on. That said – avoid getting swept up in the hype of current trends and go with an integration platform that is too big, broad, or complex for the business. It’s easy to be impressed by things like MDM, Big Data, Social, and a laundry list of connectors and solutions. If the vision of when or why the business will use or integrate with Big Data isn’t clear, do not buy a platform because it can handle Big Data.
Asking for Help.
Some organizations need help planning the project, picking the integration approach or platform, and implementing it. A good partner will know the industry and applications involved, and have experience integrating them. The organization will gain the benefit and expertise of someone who has done integration many, many times and has encountered all kinds of projects and scenarios. A partner can advise on best practices and what has worked for other clients. The price tag can seem hefty up front but in most cases, it’s far less than what would be spent in time, money, and resources if the company were to tackle integration on their own. Customers who use outside help have a higher level of success and satisfaction with their integrations. It is truly money well spent.
Get Going.
Integration doesn’t have to be overwhelming. There are a lot of options out there and partners who are willing and happy to help. Focus on the business problem and look at the information contained today in the business applications. How can the data be better used and in the most useful location for all teams? Start small with an integration project that is relatively simple which completes and fulfills a specific goal. Tangible benefits from the project will be seen, the business will appreciate it, and the focus can continue to build up the sophistication and complexity of integrations over time. If you’re interesting in viewing the Scribe report, The State of Microsoft Dynamics CRM Data Integration 2012, please visit: scribesoft.com/State-ofCDI. 32
Dynamics University Spring 2013
Maximize your investments with the leader in CRM integration Increase sales Improve operations Run your business more efficiently Learn more at scribesoft.com Over 12,000 customers use Scribe to integrate Microsoft Dynamics with their Back Office, Business Intelligence, Data Warehouse, ERP System, and more.
Mobility, continued from page 21
Windows 8 Application
Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 will include a Windows 8 application that has alert notifications to prompt users when action is required of them – mobile charts and dashboards, activity feeds, and the Windows 8 look and feel.
Other Mobility Options
Organizations that require more robust mobility features can leverage Independent Software Vendors (ISVs) who offer add-on functionality for smart client support for iPad, iPhone, Android, Blackberry, and Windows phones and tablets. Other powerful features include the ability to utilize in-app web browsing allowing users to utilize resources like SharePoint, web applications, and internet websites as part of their mobile experience. Some ISV’s offer the ability to work on- or offline.
Greenshades Payroll Tax Service Greenshades Payroll Tax Service is the easiest way to file and pay your payroll taxes. Instead of tracking deadlines yourself, we will create the optimal payment and filing schedule based on your company's payroll. Our online portal keeps you in control every step of the way: tracking upcoming deadlines, viewing historical information, and allowing you to schedule payments or filings in advance.
Process Controls
Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 includes a Process Control Customization Tool – empowering organizations to define critical activities that must be completed in each sales phase of an opportunity before the opportunity can progress to the next phase. The tool guides onthe-go users through the sales process – checking off activities as they are completed to reinforce the organization’s selling process and foster consistency in forecasting. Powerful Lync and Skype integrations offer users who work with a laptop or PC the ability to connect a call and record a record of it in Microsoft Dynamics CRM with one simple click. The mobility features in Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 will help organizations avoid disastrous sales meetings like the one described prior. Armed with information, sales people can increase effectiveness while working away from the office – and while in front of customers and prospects. Enhanced efficiency, increased sales, and higher customer satisfaction results will further increase the value that Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 delivers to its users.
The Core Module of our Payroll Tax Service includes payments for Federal Income Tax Withholding (FIT), Social Security, Medicare, and Federal Unemployment (FUTA). We will also submit returns for Federal W-2s, 941s, 940s, and New Hire reports. State Packages support the calculation of tax deadlines, generating electronic files, and automatic submission of both payments and filings for State Income Tax Withholding (SIT) and State Unemployment Insurance (SUTA or SUI). The Local W2 module creates local withholding reports and payment vouchers for thousands of localities throughout the country. Through a direct integration the module will use the local tax codes in the accounting system to determine wage and tax information as well as track deadlines for these filings and payments. Contact Greenshades Sales: 888.255.3815 X 2 or sales@greenshades.com
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CODE NAME:
POLARIS By Josh Behl, Summit Group Software
T he latest Microsoft Dynamics CRM version/Update Rollup codenamed “Polaris” is here! Released earlier this year, this enhancement to Microsoft Dynamics CRM provides an improved user experience through the use of Process Forms, Cross Browser Support, Skype, Yammer, Bing Map Integration, and other fixes and performance changes. This article focuses on a few of them.
Process Forms
A Process Form is essentially a form that streamlines the user experience by reducing the number of windows that pop up when a Microsoft Dynamics CRM user manages a Sale from the Lead through sales Opportunity process or even from the Case to Resolution process. One of the challenges many Microsoft Dynamics CRM users have voiced in the past is the amount of “clickiness” involved in doing the daily “CRM Stuff.” Today, to convert a Lead to an Opportunity, Contact, and Account – then work that Opportunity through to close – users first qualify the lead, decide what to convert it to (Account, Contact, and/or Opportunity), and then set the necessary information regarding the sales opportunity. Then in the end, mark it as lost or won. Along with it users will likely track phone calls, tasks, and other activities regarding the opportunity along the way. Users find themselves in a sea of pop up windows and clicks - sometimes getting lost in the flow and losing visibility as to where they are at in the process. This is where these Process Forms come into play. Process Forms streamline the user experience regarding the following commonly used “flows” or process34
Dynamics University Spring 2013
es: Lead-to-Opportunity-Opportunity Close & Case-to-Resolution. Instead of multiple windows to manage and processes to remember, the user interacts with one record throughout the entire process. Behind the scenes, the data is still structured as it always was: One record for the lead, one for the account, one for the contact, and one for the opportunity. Organizations can define what the flow is and what is required at each step of the process then translate that into an easier to understand interface.
Bing Map Integration
Within the context of these Process Forms are a number of other features which bring additional flexibility and functionality. If using a Process Form, the Bing Map Integration can be leveraged. Once a full address is typed into an Account, Contact, or Lead record, it is seen on that form in its exact location. Essentially it is the same thing as going to www.bing.com/maps and typing an address. This ability to visualize where a customer is actually located from within Microsoft Dynamics CRM has been a request from many customers for some time now.
Skype and Yammer Integration
Included on these Process Forms is also an integration with Skype. Why Skype and why not Lync? Many may be aware that in the past year, Microsoft acquired Skype and Yammer. Skype is used for instant messaging, phone calls, and coloration (much like Lync). Yammer is an enterprise-wide social network application which allows for collaboration and allows users to follow particular events, customers, and as well as post on them (similar to Facebook, LinkedIn, etc.). One could speculate that Skype, Lync, and Yammer could become one combined product at some point. What is really nice about the Skype integration is that making outgoing calls with Skype is extremely easy. When done from a Process Form, Microsoft Dynamics CRM automatically creates a Phone Call record associated with that Lead, Contact, Account, Opportunity, or Case. As far as the Yammer integration, this is intended to replace/enhance the Social Activity Feed functionality. Organizations should consider if these Process Forms are the right fit for their business. While it is easy to agree on the value of streamlining and essentially flattening the user experience in Microsoft Dynamics CRM, there are some things that the Process Forms do not accommodate – neither client side scripting, manual workflows, custom buttons, nor reports run from the forms. An organization is not 100 percent stuck with the process forms if implemented. Each user has the ability to toggle back to the classic version of the form in use today if it feels more comfortable. Automatic workflows and plug-ins still fire when interacting with the records as they always have.
Cross-Browser Compatibility
One feature that has been touted for many months is cross-browser compatibility. With the Polaris release, Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 is now compatible with not only Microsoft Internet Explorer but also Mozilla Firefox (version 16+), Google Chrome (version 22+) and Apple Safari (version 6+). For companies that have not 100% embraced Internet Explorer and are waiting to get off of it or waiting to use a browser other than Internet Explorer, now may be the time. IPad users can now work within Microsoft Dynamics CRM from the iPad as well. A few cautionary notes regarding cross-browser support include: For internal IT support people - ensure familiarity with these different browsers if end users will be using them. While many are quite good at troubleshooting Internet Explorer related issues, the same may not be true for troubleshooting in other browsers. For developers – when working with and developing Jscript, ensure that other browsers are considered in design and testing. There is a really nice tool named “Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 Custom Code Validation Tool” available for download that will check client side scripting to ensure it is compatible with different browsers.
Availability
Finally, it is very, very important to note that the Process Form functionality is only available for Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online customers at this time. At the time of writing of this article, the Process Forms will be available for On-Premise customers in the Orion release scheduled for Quarter 2 2013. That said, the performance enhancements and cross-browser compatibility is available for both Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online and On-Premise customers with this release. DynamicsUniversity.com
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The
By Scott Rich, Experlogix
POWER of Precision
Experlogix and Microsoft Dynamics CRM accelerate customer quotes for FEI high-powered microscopes W hen purchasing a car, there are a number of add-
on options to choose from – the same is true for the multi-million dollar microscopes the Hillsboro, Oregon-based FEI Company manufactures. FEI makes electron-optics and focused-ion beam microscopes that offer precision imaging and three-dimensional characterization configured to the specific needs of different scientific industries including nanotechnology and semiconductor fabrication. Tracking the complex and varied made-to-order specifications when creating sales quotes was not an easy task for FEI sales representatives. FEI had an existing quote and order system but the process had limitations. It required use of about 20 different software tools and Microsoft Office Excel spreadsheets. It was slow, cumbersome, and difficult to maintain and lacking integration to Microsoft Dynamics CRM. Last fall, FEI got help in the form of Microsoft Dynamics CRM. Their Microsoft Dynamics CRM software uses Microsoft .NET connected technologies to automate day-to-day tasks for sales, customer service, field service, call center, and marketing professionals.
The Configurator Need
“FEI runs an international business with various factories around the globe. We needed a highly flexible, scalable configurator that would help streamline our financial management and allow us to control our configurations very precisely. Moreover, we wanted a tool that would easily support the use of discount approvals as well as the processing of non-standard requests”, says Guido van Mier, Configuration Manager for FEI Worldwide. 36
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After investigating several product configurator packages, FEI selected Experlogix for its integration to Microsoft Dynamics CRM and its scalable architecture. “We evaluated other solutions but in the end there was no decision; Experlogix was the logical choice for us as it is such a versatile tool,” says van Mier.
The Experlogix Solution
Experlogix was further able to fine-tuned FEI’s CRM system with its Experlogix Configurator. The Experlogix Configurator automates much of the microscope quoting and configuration process. The commonly ordered microscopes are preconfigured in the system so sales people can automatically generate quotes and proposals. They also get immediate feedback about whether an individual part is compatible with the overall microscope as planned. “It basically enforces logic onto quoting and ordering,” explains Mark Farley, IT Director for FEI Worldwide. The Experlogix Configurator met FEI’s need to: • Control quote and order configurations of products and services precisely • Support discount approvals and non-standard requests • Provide accurate pricing in multiple currencies • Consolidate the needs of product administrators operating in different time zones • Create a “corporate memory” of product configurations Sales people no longer quote and configure each instrument by consulting a spreadsheet and a diagram tree to match up parts that can and cannot coexist on the same instrument. All this information is now accessible through the single Microsoft interface. As a result, FEI Company has reduced quote times for even its most complex instruments and knows with certainty all quotes contain accurate product configurations.
Experlogix helps FEI consolidate product and service options, rules, and pricing into a single intelligent system – eliminating the need for paper catalogs and cumbersome-to-maintain spreadsheets. The configurator ensures the entire proposal or order is 100 percent accurate, guaranteeing a seamless quote-to-order process and higher customer satisfaction.
“Experlogix enables FEI to produce orders in just a fraction of the time previously required. We no longer have to deal with complex systems involving multiple software tools and hordes of Excel spreadsheets,” says van Mier. FEI also appreciates the tight integration with Microsoft Dynamics CRM. According to van Mier, “Experlogix works harmoniously with Microsoft Dynamics CRM and the combination of the two is quite powerful. We have tossed our old system overboard and have managed to get rid of at least 20 different programs and Excel sheets on the fly. As the multi-currency functionality is easy to set up in Experlogix, we were able to build a
uniform solution that serves our global sales team so we now speak one common language in the company. In fact, we have even started training our agents and distributors to use Experlogix for quoting.” “One additional very important consideration for choosing Experlogix was its capabilities of managing our administrative pains,” continues van Mier. “Multiple administrators operating in various time zones were putting quite a bit of stress on the system. Now our administrative departments work seamlessly around the world.” With Experlogix, there is now the capability to control which users have access to which information, support for automation of internal processes such as requests for quoting non-standard products and discount approval workflows. “Simply stated, our business is running much more smoothly than before,” says van Mier. “Experlogix could handle all that we initially required and more. Just recently we incorporated logic that handles installation, warranty, additional warranty, and freight and duty. None of the other tools we considered came even close to the power of Experlogix.”
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Dynamics University Spring 2013
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S
martList is well-known as one of the most flexible ad-hoc tools available for analyzing Microsoft Dynamics GP data. One less-known fact is this powerful tool is designed to leverage another feature of Microsoft Dynamics GP known as Reminders. Gone are the days of running a SmartList query three or four times during the day only to receive zero results. Instead, the integration of Reminders with SmartList serves up proactive notifications to the Microsoft Dynamics GP desktop – saving users the hassle of multiple daily queries. Say an organization is looking to monitor customers it has extended credit in excess of the customer’s established credit limit. The old way of doing this would have been to run the SmartList object named Customers Over Credit Limit. Of course there are a few disadvantages inherent in this method. This is a manual process. Someone must remember to run the SmartList object in order to receive results. Occasionally the SmartList results indicate no customers have exceeded their credit limit. Most likely that is good news, except for the level of effort that was required to initially run the SmartList only to learn no customers had exceeded their credit limit. Integrating Reminders with SmartList eliminates both of those shortcomings. Here is how it works using Fabrikam, Inc. as a sample company: From the To Do section of the GP Home Page select the New Reminder hyperlink. Create a Custom Reminder by clicking the New. Using the lookup icon beneath the SmartList Favorite option, select Customers Over Credit Limit. Mark the radio button next to Number of records, then select the option “is greater than” and enter the number zero in the adjacent box. Click OK to save the settings and close the Customer Reminder window. Click OK to save the settings and close the Reminder Preferences window. Refresh the GP Home Page. A new entry named Customers Over Credit Limit appears in the Reminders area of the Home Page. Notice the number eight appears in parentheses at the end of the new reminder name. This number identifies how many customers match the rule. To view the list of customers whose current balances are in excess of their credit limits, click the hyperlink named Customers Over Credit Limit. The SmartList window automatically opens directly to the corresponding SmartList Favorite displaying the eight customers whose current balance exceeds their credit limit. Keep in mind the Reminder results are updated every time the Home page is refreshed. This eliminates the manual tasks involved in running the SmartList. Users are notified only when a condition warrants further review and are not interrupted when action is unnecessary. Nothing could be better.
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Electronic Banking for Businesses By Bob Callanan, Business Ready Solutions
T
here are many, varied impressions and ideas of what electronic banking is and what it can mean to an individual or an organization. In the personal banking world, some people think about accessing a bank web portal to pay utility bills, schedule a recurring mortgage payment, or maybe schedule an amount to be transferred to a savings account each month. Others may think of having a pay check automatically deposited by an employer. Using a credit card to process a payment online is another common example. For most individuals, these tools have made banking easier because people are less dependent on getting to the bank when it is open or ensuring the mail gets delivered on time. Banks benefit because transactions are not automated from beginning to end – they have far fewer transactions to manually transfer from paper to the system. However, businesses seem to be slower to adopt these tools and instead stick with the tried and true approach of using paper checks and making daily trips to the bank for deposits. Some of the challenges may be in determining which party benefits enough to take on the task. In the personal banking space, both parties benefit, but banks
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recognized the potential efficiencies to be gained as well as the potential competitive edge it would provide and as a result made the investment to move it forward. Business consumers certainly are not motivated to pay vendors quicker – but businesses do want to be on-time and want the process to be cost effective. Suppliers want to offer tools to customers that make it easy to order and easy to pay – it quickly becomes a competitive advantage. Microsoft Dynamics GP includes a number of tools that will help organizations move toward more automated solutions for banking needs. A brief review of each follows. EFT for Payables Management (EPM): EPM is a straightforward tool that allows payments to be made to vendors by submitting an electronic file to the bank. The setup process is very straightforward – use the configuration window to map the file to the bank’s requirements, populate each vendor’s EFT bank information, confirm the configuration with the bank and it is ready to go! It is not all or nothing, either. Organizations may choose to pay subcontractors or process employee expense reimbursements using this approach and continue with paper checks for everyone else.
EFT for Receivables Management (ERM): ERM can really benefit companies that need the ability to directly debit a customer’s account. This is very common if debiting a fixed amount each month from a customer and there is required authorization to do that. Similar to the EPM set, the module can be up and running in just a few hours. Electronic Reconcile: The electronic reconcile module is ideal for companies with a high volume of bank transactions and the need to reconcile their bank statements more frequently than once per month. Using this module, a customer downloads bank activity from the bank’s website and then imports the data into Microsoft Dynamics GP. E-reconcile attempts to match each transaction to what is recorded based on amount, vendor/customer, and date. Exception reports help the user quickly complete the reconciliation process. Safe Pay: Safe Pay is the Microsoft Dynamics GP tool that answers a common requirement for many banks regarding Positive Pay. Banks today often require businesses to submit each day’s bank activity. The bank then uses the data to compare checks that are presented to the bank. The Safe Pay module includes a configuration screen that allows the mapping of the file to the bank’s specific requirements. Once configured, the module is ready to be used.
Beyond Fraud: Why Auditing is So Important W
hen people think about auditing Microsoft Dynamics GP, many customers picture FBI-style interrogators searching the audit logs to point out all ill-intended crooks who are stealing money from their company. In our experience, fraud prevention and detection might be a good starting point to implement an auditing tool; however, there is much more to be gained from auditing. Auditing Software provides four other key tangible benefits: • Data Backup • Procedural Clarification • Performance Evaluation • Troubleshooting
If you haven’t considered auditing before, why not take a look at Auditor by Rockton Software? Auditor tracks data changes in Microsoft Dynamics GP including at the SQL database level and is Certified for Microsoft Dynamics (CfMD) Rockton Software is offering FREE trials of Auditor. You can view a quick online demo at our website www.rocktonsoftware.com. Or, you can give us a call at 877-476-2586 and we’ll discuss if Auditor meets your business needs. For more information please contact sales@rocktonsoftware.com. Mention offer code: SUMMIT Q1 and we’ll send you a FREE GIFT!
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crm Tips & Tricks When to Use the Report Wizard By Robert Stephan, Integrated Business Group
M icrosoft Dynamics CRM provides many quick and easy ways to view and filter data right from the familiar list interface. With customizable views, quick search, column filtering and Advanced Find, users can retrieve, filter and organize records without having to go to the Report Wizard. So when is the extra step of using the Report Wizard, even if there is no reason to print the data, necessary? Here are a few easy-to-use reporting tools that are not available in the list view: • Group records by one or more fields that make sense (ie: list of Orders by Territory then by Account Name) and then let the system total up. • Count of the number of records in each grouping. • Sum of the dollar amounts (or other numbers) for the records in each grouping and overall totals as well. This additional functionality can provide richer and more useful Business Intelligence information with a just a little additional effort.
Working with the Reading Pane By Jim Scarff, Express Information Systems
M icrosoft Dynamics CRM 2011 extends the familiar Microsoft Office Outlook
reading pane to most entities within the Microsoft Dynamics CRM Outlook client. For each entity, the reading pane can be placed to the left, right, or at the bottom of the window. There is also an option to turn the reading pane off. However, the Off setting only persists for the current session. When reopening Outlook the pane is back on. These placement settings are under the View section of the menu ribbon. Within the reading pane, each tab on the Microsoft Dynamics CRM entity form is represented as a section with a blue caption. Users can click and drag these headings to rearrange the pane to suit individual preferences. Because the reading pane is an Outlook form and not a Microsoft Dynamics CRM form, it cannot be modified like Microsoft Dynamics CRM forms. Each section of the reading pane will display all of the fields in the corresponding tab in the order of appearance on the tab. The only way to modify the reading pane is to modify the form. Also note, the reading pane is not subject to scripting modifications on the form. If using scripting to conditionally modify the form, those modifications will not display in the reading pane.
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Launch Quick Campaigns
By Megan Smith, The Knaster Group
As any good marketing director knows, sometimes keeping it simple is best. Though hosting a big
event or some other splashy campaign may win potential customers, small organizations often do not have the resources to implement such campaigns. A tailored e-mail sent to a smaller, specific demographic may be more realistic and frequently is more effective. Using Microsoft Dynamics CRM, these two marketing strategies can be executed by using Campaigns and Quick Campaigns. A Campaign is the prolonged process—setting up an event with multiple tasks delegated to various individuals over a span of several days or weeks. Quick Campaigns can be much simpler – such as sending product brochures to twenty-five people met at a tradeshow yesterday. It is fast, simple, and typically inexpensive. The campaign process in Microsoft Dynamics CRM begins with the Marketing List. Pulling from contact records already in an organization’s Microsoft Dynamics CRM data, the Advanced Find function is used to narrow the list to a few specific prospects. Simply create a new Marketing List and select Manage Members. The Advanced Find window allows the user to specify which records are included. For example, select City equals Denver, or Annual Revenue is greater than $500,000. These lists can be created new with each campaign or they can be created as Dynamic Marketing Lists. When selecting Dynamic in the Marketing List form, the system knows to automatically update a list based on the pre-selected criteria. New records that meet the criteria requirements of a Marketing List are automatically added to the list by the system. Additionally, records are automatically removed from the list when they are deactivated in the system. Once a Marketing List is created, it is time to launch a campaign. The Quick Campaign Wizard guides users through the process of managing and executing a basic campaign (phone call, e-mail, appointment, etc.) As a part of this process, users have the option to retain ownership of the campaign activities or to assign them to another user. If choosing the latter, the assignee will see the new task in their Activities dashboard and will have full control to edit and mark the task complete. After launching the campaign, users can monitor responses in the Quick Campaign entity – setting the user up for the next strategic marketing move.
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<
COST BENEFIT
BENEFITS MUST ALWAYS BE GREATER THAN COST – MUCH GREATER by Bill Malone, PeakNFP
T
hroughout a typical week, conversations with numerous nonprofit executives, staff, and volunteers often bring up the same basic question: “How can our organization justify spending on new donor management software?” The answer can be determined by analyzing the following: • Understand the problems in need of a solution. • Seek help in trusted advisors. • Create a benefits analysis in terms of costs and time savings. • Reallocate time saved. • Evaluate sustainability. Understand the Problems From the start, it is critical to understand the problems in need of solutions. There are occasions when the justification to the board, manager, or whoever will approve the investment becomes very easy. Maybe the problem is a need for better use of time by eliminating the tracking of items in spreadsheets or other manual work examples. The need may be improved interactions with donors. Or, it could be a request for more complete analysis of efforts compared to donor dollars those efforts return. Seek Help from Trusted Advisors A relationship with a trusted advisor can really simplify fact gathering – particularly if the advisor is the technology partner. Why? A trusted technology partner is already up to speed on the solutions out there in the marketplace, the costs both apparent and hidden with those options, and the rigor required to successfully implement and sustain technology solutions. Benefits Analysis Time and time again, organizations hone in on the cost side of the equation when considering change. While cost is extremely important and getting the best deal is good, cost is only half of the equation – if not less. Give more weight to the benefits side of the technology project under consideration. 44
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nonprofit
All too often organizations do not enter into a technology replacement endeavor with a clear picture of the time involved in today’s programs and tasks. Many organizations use Microsoft Office Excel spreadsheets to track donors, donations, sponsors, guests, event attendees, volunteers, etc. This is done because the organization “can’t afford” to purchase a software solution to replace all of this manual work. These organizations often do not understand the amount of time it takes to jockey data across spreadsheets. Executives (or equivalent) are sometimes doing the task – but they happen to be the highest paid employee(s) in the organization. This equates to mountains of manual work conducted at the greatest expense possible to the organization. If organizations begin to understand and account for these soft costs they realize that they cannot afford to maintain status quo and are in critical need to reduce software costs.
Reallocating Time Saved
When going before a board to justify an upgrade in constituent management software, go armed with suggestions of how the time saved will be used. The results of an effective “as is” analysis will produce a measure of how much time is being consumed by manual effort. That brings understanding (in dollars and cents) of how much can be saved with software automation and efficiency. Give the board a strong sense of what will be accomplished with that saved time and resources—and remember that it is often the most expensive resource (executive) doing the manual work.
Sustainability
A prospective organization’s founder wanted to leave a legacy – a sustainable “development system” the organization could continue to use long after the founder leaves the organization. One of the primary objectives in rolling out anything new was to ensure that effective use of the new system was not dependent on any one individual within the organization. More than that, the individual needed to learn the system and the system had to be based upon state of the art technology from a well-established vendor. Many donor management or fundraising packages deteriorate over time within an organization. Not that the software goes bad, but rather the effective use of the software “goes bad” over time for a variety of reasons. Effective use deteriorates because: Users that were trained at the start of projects may move on and organizations do not train new individuals because it usually costs too much. Organizations let software maintenance lapse because of high maintenance costs. New releases of the software place higher demands on current hardware and organizations have not budgeted for or cannot afford infrastructure upkeep. The answer (in the area of sustainability) is to look for solutions that are inclusive of not only software (and maintenance) but also inclusive of free training, documentation, and support. In terms of infrastructure sustainability – look to the Cloud. Cloud options allow organizations to purchase software at very low, commodity-based subscription costs. And with cloud solutions, systems and hardware never get outdated. Evaluate any software or technology problem from the five angles listed above. Look at the “return” side of the ROI equation and thoroughly understand how much the work costs today, how much it will cost with a new solution, and what exactly can be done with the savings. DynamicsUniversity.com
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Fetzer, continued from page 26
After an exhaustive request for proposal (RFP) process, the Fetzer Institute chose The TM Group and Microsoft Dynamics as the foundation for its new business systems. The TM Group implemented Microsoft Dynamics GP (summer 2009) for accounting and payroll – replacing Oracle. The TM Group then implemented Microsoft Dynamics CRM (January 2010) to handle programs management, program budget management, project tracking, events coordination, and budget allocation needs. Microsoft Dynamics CRM was fully integrated into Microsoft Dynamics GP’s accounting modules SharePoint was implemented for document management to help manage all of Fetzer’s projects in a central online environment and provide collaborative space for its advisory groups. The TM Group designed and implemented several specific functional enhancements the help the Fetzer Institute achieve their mission: Budget Management for Programs – Fetzer did not need Microsoft Dynamics CRM as a traditional sales and marketing system. Instead, The TM Group repurposed the opportunity entity for Fetzer into a program management and project-tracking entity. For each project, they can now easily see in Microsoft Dynamics CRM how much money has been spent and for what.
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Idea to Approval – Many ideas are reviewed by Fetzer’s advisory councils and staff before it is decided which should be submitted to the board. Ideas go through an evaluation process where the details of who, what, where and why are worked out and a proposal is written. The TM Group helped Fetzer better manage this idea-to-approval process with Microsoft SharePoint and InfoPath. Budgeting and Allocations – Once the board approves ideas and projects are established, program funds are allocated. The TM Group created a budgeting and allocations entity within Microsoft Dynamics CRM to manage this very complicated process. Some of Fetzer’s complex projects may be multiyear funded from several departments as well as other foundations. At any time, Institute staff can easily look at a budgeting grid that shows project budgets, scheduled payments, how much has been spent, and how much of the budget is left. Fully Integrated Accounting – Payment requests for projects are generated in Microsoft Dynamics CRM and are
released to accounting. This creates an accounts payable transaction in Microsoft Dynamics GP. Fetzer’s program staff can easily see the status in Microsoft Dynamics CRM of a payment request – such as what was sent to Microsoft Dynamics GP, posted, paid, partially paid or voided – without having to call or email accounting. When the check or EFT has been sent to the vendor, all the payment voucher information is sent back to Microsoft Dynamics CRM and available for the program staff. Event Planning – One of the unique things about the Fetzer Institute is that it runs remote events throughout the world as well as a retreat center adjacent to its headquarters. The TM Group enhanced Microsoft Dynamics CRM’s marketing campaigns to help Fetzer manage every detail of its events, including reservations, meals, lodging requirements, dietary restrictions and transportation. The TM Group also configured automated notifications to alert department heads who are managing and coordinating the various aspects of these events. Microsoft SharePoint Document Management – Every time a project status is turned to active, the associated document libraries are set up in Microsoft SharePoint with a standardized folder structure to which all their documents are uploaded. The same thing happens with events – which are managed using Microsoft Dynamics CRM’s marketing campaigns feature. Since The TM Group started this transformational process to better automate the way the Fetzer Institute functions and give its management better oversight of their budgets and activities using Microsoft Dynamics CRM, Microsoft Dynamics GP and Microsoft SharePoint, departments have a better appreciation of how their counterparts work because they now have visibility into the Institute’s overall interconnected, operational processes.
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