With the recent release of Dynamics CRM 2015, Microsoft has introduced calculated fields in Dynamics CRM. Calculated fields allow you to define the value of a field using calculations operators or functions. You no longer need a developer on hand to write code, you can now create calculated fields using the CRM user interface. For example, a salesperson might want to automatically apply a discount based on an order greater than “X” dollars. The calculated field would be able to change the value using basic math operations or conditional operations.

Here is an example of a calculated field:

Order Total = ((quantity*unitprice) – ((quantity*unitprice) *Discount%/100)) + ((quantity*unitprice) – ((quantity*unitprice) *Discount%/100) *Tax%/100)

Here are some fields that are considered calculated fields:

•           Weighted Revenue: Estimated revenue multiplied by probability
•           Net Worth: Assets subtracted from the liabilities for a given account
•          Follow Up By: Follow up on an activity by a specified number of days based on priority

The type of mathematic operations that you could use are:

Microsoft Dynamics CRM is set to see a substantial update this spring, with the release of Carina. This will serve as the first major update to the new CRM 2015.  Although an exact date for its release is yet to be determined, CRM users and partners are abuzz with the features and added functionality that Carina promises. Here are some notable features that can be expected:

1. Enhanced Excel Integration

The new update will allow Excel users to open their data in spreadsheets within CRM. This serves as a valuable feature for quick visibility and analysis of data, and eliminates any compatibility issues that may arise should you have a different version of Excel installed.

2. OneNote Online Integration

Users can now take notes, create voice memos, capture photos and clip web pages from any mobile device (such as iPads or Android phones) and attach them to CRM using OneNote.

WebSan Solutions, the largest Canadian Cloud Dynamics partner, offers users the ability to access Dynamics GP on a tablet. Customers now have an alternative way to access and create accounting transactions, without having to log in through their desktop computers.

“We see this as a natural extension of our Cloud Dynamics offerings. No other partner has made the commitment that WebSan has to provide this much flexibility to our customers,” says Andrew King, Managing Director of WebSan Solutions.

As long as there’s an active Internet connection, users would be able to use all of the capabilities of Dynamics GP, which also includes exporting SmartLists to Microsoft Excel with ease. WebSan’s Cloud Dynamics GP solution  allows users to quickly and securely access Dynamics on-the-go using Android, iOS and Windows devices.

An element that makes Dynamics GP on a tablet even more valuable is the feature that lets users print and email documents (i.e. Invoices) on the fly.

The ability to provide access to critical financial information to executives on devices other than a computer is important to a business. Get the insight you need to manage your business and improve the decision-making process by making it portable. 

WebSan Solutions, the largest Canadian Cloud Dynamics partner, offers users the ability to access Dynamics GP on a tablet. Customers now have an alternative way to access and create accounting transactions, without having to log in through their desktop computers.

“We see this as a natural extension of our Cloud Dynamics offerings. No other partner has made the commitment that WebSan has to provide this much flexibility to our customers,” says Andrew King, Managing Director of WebSan Solutions.

As long as there’s an active Internet connection, users would be able to use all of the capabilities of Dynamics GP, which also includes exporting SmartLists to Microsoft Excel with ease. WebSan’s Cloud Dynamics GP solution  allows users to quickly and securely access Dynamics on-the-go using Android, iOS and Windows devices.

An element that makes Dynamics GP on a tablet even more valuable is the feature that lets users print and email documents (i.e. Invoices) on the fly.

The ability to provide access to critical financial information to executives on devices other than a computer is important to a business. Get the insight you need to manage your business and improve the decision-making process by making it portable. 

The menu bar in Microsoft Dynamics GP helps a user to easily manoeuvre around Great Plains. To optimize this feature, you can benefit from modifying and adding commonly used buttons in the menu bar. You can add buttons that fall under a variety of categories such as Financial, Sales, Purchasing, Inventory and Manufacturing.

In the menu bar, right click to add buttons:

Users are not limited to the default buttons presented in Great Plains. Buttons can be customized depending on the features that your business will need. 

To customize a button, right click on “Customize,” then choose the “Main” option and click “Add” to follow along the menu path to select which button you’d like to add. 

To learn more about Microsoft Dynamics GP’s capabilities, download our FREE interactive demo!

Businesses looking for a Hosted Dynamics CRM solution are driven by key needs that include: Integration with third party marketing automation software, a holistic view of each customer on the go, and a need to increase productivity without increasing costs.

So what makes Dynamics CRM stand out from the rest? Here are a few reasons why Dynamics CRM is right for your business:

• Focuses on critical factors for building long-term customer relationships, such as Sales Automation, Customer Service and Marketing Excellence.
• Familiar Microsoft interface that makes the system easy to use.
• Native Microsoft Outlook client and embedded Microsoft Office features.
• Access anywhere, anytime, using a web browser, a tablet or directly within Microsoft Office Outlook.
• Customization options allow the system to adapt to your business needs and then continue to grow along with your organization.
• Automation features, such as workflows, increase your employees' productivity and reduce errors.

If you are interested in viewing Microsoft Dynamics CRM in action, download our free interactive demo!

Natalie Williams, Marketing Manager, WebSan Solutions Inc. a 2014 Ontario Business Achievement Award Winner for Service Excellence.

On February 19th, WebSan introduced a new webinar series to put a spotlight on the Manufacturing module of Microsoft Dynamics GP. Part one focused on Manufacturing concepts, where attendees learned basic Manufacturing terms and were given tips to help make implementation successful. The webinar was well-received and generated good feedback from the attendees. Part two of the Manufacturing webinar series offers a look into the Items and Bill of Materials (BOMs) module and includes a discussion of item classes, position numbers, Manufacturing accounts, BOMs entry and inquiries.

The Manufacturing module has been one of our most popular webinar series, so register below and take advantage of this free webinar!  

Register for Part 2-Items and Bill of Materials on Mar. 26, 11 AM EST

Linz Tan, Web Marketing Assistant, WebSan Solutions Inc. a 2014 Ontario Business Achievement Award Winner for Service Excellence

An Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system helps integrate processes which are essential to a business, including accounting, inventory, order management, human resources, and Customer Relationship Management (CRM). Today, an increasing number of both big and small to mid-sized organizations use ERP software to help streamline processes and information across the organization and integrate these functions into a single, complete system.

Software Advice, a trusted resource and advisory firm for software buyers recently conducted a study that analyzed the purchasing behaviour and implementation concerns of 250 prospective ERP software buyers. The study reveals that 54 percent of current ERP users are dissatisfied with their systems’ integration capabilities—this is one of the main reasons why many are seeking out a new ERP system.

ERP Implementation and Support

The study notes that 24 percent of buyers want to replace their current ERP software due to a lack of technical support. Forrest Burnson, the study’s main researcher, says, "It's critical for firms to carefully assess how capable they are in selecting and implementing a new ERP system. All too often there is a disconnect between a firm's expectations and what the vendor will actually provide in terms of implementation services and continued support. As ERP systems are significant investments, it is wise for prospective buyers to seek the help of a third party consulting firm if they're unable to do all of the due diligence in-house to ensure that the selection and implementation processes go smoothly.”

What WebSan Solutions Can Offer 

Microsoft Dynamics CRM is a fast, flexible and reliable CRM solution that helps manage customer information across different functions such as Marketing, Sales and Service. Here are the top 5 ways Microsoft Dynamics CRM can benefit your business:

1.Integration with Microsoft Office and Office Outlook

Microsoft Dynamics CRM easily integrates with tools like Microsoft Word, Excel and Office Outlook. With the system’s familiar and user-friendly interface, employees can efficiently pull information and gain quick access to the data they need.

2. Adaptable Dashboards

The dashboards feature adapts to job functions and each user’s preferences providing a real-time, overall view of business areas from lead generation, pre-sale to customer service. Users can also customize dashboards depending on the functionality that is most needed. 

WebSan's YouTube account began in 2012 to showcase training and webinar videos featuring Microsoft Dynamics GP and CRM. Today, our YouTube account has more than 50,000 views. We're sending a big thank you to our YouTube subscribers and viewers. Without your support, we wouldn't be celebrating this milestone!

Here are our top 2 most viewed videos:

• Management Reporter for Microsoft Dynamics ERP
• 10 Tricks in 30 Minutes: The top 10 Features of Dynamics GP You’re Not Using and Should Be

Stay up to date with our new videos by subscribing to our YouTube channel.

Linz Tan, Web Marketing Assistant, WebSan Solutions Inc. a 2014 Ontario Business Achievement Award Winner for Service Excellence

WebSan's YouTube account began in 2012 to showcase training and webinar videos featuring Microsoft Dynamics GP and CRM. Today, our YouTube account has more than 50,000 views. We're sending a big thank you to our YouTube subscribers and viewers. Without your support, we wouldn't be celebrating this milestone!

 Here are our top 2 most viewed videos:

• Management Reporter for Microsoft Dynamics ERP
• 10 Tricks in 30 Minutes: The Top 10 Features of Dynamics GP You’re Not Using and Should Be

 Stay up to date with our new videos by subscribing to our YouTube channel.

Linz Tan, Web Marketing Assistant, WebSan Solutions Inc. a 2014 Ontario Business Achievement Award Winner for Service 

WebSan Solutions is taking their Dynamics curriculum to the next level, by offering training in Dynamics CRM!

We’ve received a lot of praise from the Dynamics community for our GP course catalogue, so we decided to create a CRM training catalogue.

Our Learning Management System provides you with interactive material, such as videos, tests, documents as well as video conferencing that will accelerate the process of learning Microsoft Dynamics.

Get trained in WebSan University and gain the skills needed to help your businesses automate their customer relationship management.

At this time we have the following courses available: 

To run a successful business, it is important to create cohesion among your data. Microsoft Dynamics GP allows you to do just that by providing flexible, easy-to-use business management functionality that can help efficiently manage your data and business system. Here are the top 3 reasons why you should consider purchasing Microsoft Dynamics GP: 

1.Simplicity and Adaptability

Dynamics GP can easily integrate with other Microsoft productivity tools such as Microsoft Office, giving your business the ability to boost productivity and gain quick access to valuable information. Dynamics GP’s adaptable features help support your business’ needs by offering capabilities that can be used through email, instant messaging, voice and in the cloud.

2.Efficiency

Beginning February 19, WebSan Solutions will hold a webinar series to put a spotlight on Microsoft Dynamics GP’s Manufacturing Module. The series will be divided into 10 parts and will detail the Manufacturing feature’s flexibility and functionality.

Part One of the series offers a look into Manufacturing Concepts and will teach you tips and techniques to help make your implementation successful.

The Manufacturing Module has been one of our most requested webinar series, and now it’s here! Space is limited for part one, so hurry and register below to reserve your spot and take part in this new and exciting webinar!   

Linz Tan, Web Marketing Assistant, WebSan Solutions Inc. a 2014 Ontario Business Achievement Award Winner for Service Excellence

Register for Part 1-Manufacturing Concepts on Feb. 19, 11 AM EST

Here at WebSan Solutions, we strive to provide our customers and the Dynamics GP community with insightful and relevant information. Throughout the years, our support team has written articles based on common issues that users have come across and we have gotten wonderful feedback from the community. Here is a list of some our most popular blogs about Microsoft Dynamics GP:

1. Common EFT Issues in Microsoft Dynamics GP 
2. Report Writer Tricks #1: Copy Formatting from an Exisiting Report for a Company 
3. Bank Transfer Common Mistakes 
4. Resolving The “File not found: VBA6.dll” Error
5. Report Writer Tricks #2: Importing Modified Reports Without Kicking Out Users 
6. Copying Custom VBA Forms 
7. Why Doesn’t my GL Match my Sub-Ledger? 
8. Why Aren’t My Cash Receipts Displaying in The Bank Reconciliation? 
9. Emailing Customer Statements 
10. Vat Daybook in Dynamics GP

If you are looking for Microsoft Dynamics GP training and support, look no further! We offer exceptional customer service! View our Dynamics GP support plans and visit WebSan University.

Natalie Williams, Marketing Manager, WebSan Solutions Inc., a 2014 Ontario Business Achievement Award Winner for Service Excellence

Here are some facts that you can share with your boss in order to convince him/her that GP is right for your company!

1. Dynamics GP Will Help Employees Work Better, Faster, and Smarter!

Dynamics GP gives employees a role tailored experience relevant to specific jobs in a company. This will enable you to properly allocate resources in your company. The system is organized by module and each module is organized by Transactions, Inquires, Setup processes, Cards, Routines, Report, and Utilities. This intuitive experience will keep your employees organized so they can work more efficiently. View our Dynamics GP Quick Overview.

2. Dynamics GP Drives Your Business and Supports Your Business Growth!

Dynamics GP offers many capabilities! Whether your company has 10 employees or 500 employees. You can use the modules that you need and as your business grows you can utilize more of GP's features. GP is capable of meeting your highest financial demands without foregoing performance!

3. You Can Get Great Plains Up and Running in No Time!

Everyone has turned to YouTube to gain information, insight and knowledge about everything and anything. Visit WebSan Solutions YouTube channel to watch helpful videos about GP modules. 

WebSan University is bringing knowledge to life by creating a series of interactive online courses through an easy-to-use intuitive system. Who said corporate training has to be boring? Empower your employees with online training!

Join WebSan University    Visit Our YouTube Channel

Several systems are now being integrated with or migrated into the cloud. Discussions regarding media sharing, searching, and collaboration systems will normally note that such forms of systems are on the exterior of the core business of the company. Because of this, it becomes a great idea to move your ERP to the cloud.

Just like any other businesses, you also demand scalability, flexibility, and security. The cloud offers all of these necessities and, what's more, it is really affordable. So, if you still can’t make up your mind on whether you will move your ERP to the cloud or not, the following are the advantages that may help you make the right decision.

Small Initial Investment

Services are given on a pay-as-you-go, subscription basis. This only means that the implementation of the cloud-based ERP system could hugely lessen the initial capital amount of investing within the ERP system. A lot of vendors might also guarantee that they won’t increase costs once you go on with the utilization of the system even the term has already expired.

Prompt Implementation

Microsoft Dynamics GP 2013 is scheduled to be released soon, so if you haven’t already upgraded to Dynamics GP 2013, here’s your chance!

Other than report fixes in Dynamics GP 2013 R2, there are much more features that you can look out for! Some of the new features to be released include:

Being able to paste a general ledger entry from an Excel spreadsheet, default sort order for cheques and reprinting outstanding transactions in bank reconciliation.

Leslie Vail explains how to paste a GL entry from Excel: “It’s simple to set up and simple to do. First, your journal entry distributions need to be entered as below on a spreadsheet. Next, highlight the information you want to put into your journal entry, and then put your cursor on the first line of your journal entry. Finally, push the [Post] button and your distributions will populate the journal entry.”

Microsoft said it will space its Dynamics GP updates roughly six months apart in a cycle that is "designed to enhance our new business proposition and bring incremental value to [Business Ready Enhancement Plan] customers on a much more regular basis."

There are always plenty of things to consider before purchasing a new system for your business and CRM solutions are not an exception.

What is CRM?

CRM stands for Customer Relationship Management and is used to refer to a system whereby a company's interactions with current and prospective customers are closely managed. It typically involves using technology to organize, synchronize and automate such disciplines as sales and marketing, tech support and customer service. Often CRM systems will be active and monitoring many different networks for marketing campaigns. Also, they can closely and accurately track customer habits and persuasions through customer clicks and traffic.

Physical places where customer relationship management is often and most heavily used include but are not limited to, banks, call centers, social media, operation centers and customer data query centers.

Ten things to consider