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Great Plains Software Demo Available | Accounting Only…

So what is this “Great Plains Software” that I’ve heard so much about amongst my fellow industry professionals and how can it benefit my company? This is a very elaborate and advanced version of an accounting software very similar to that of Peachtree. The credit and creation of the Great Plains Software goes to an independent company located in Fargo, North Dakota, which was founded by a man named Doug Burgum. In late 2000, Microsoft announced the purchase of the Great Plains software for $1.1 billion.  Yeah I know, that’s a lot of money for an accounting software. The acquisition was completed in April of 2001.

There is a new version the Great Plains software. It is now called Microsoft Dynamics GP. This too, is a mid-market business accounting software package that runs on top of a Microsoft SQL Server database. It is a part of the Microsoft Dynamics family.

Microsoft Dynamics GP 10.0 is the latest version and was released in June 2007. Microsoft Dynamics GP 9.0 was released in November 2005. Prior versions were named Microsoft Great Plains and Microsoft Dynamics. Previous versions were compatible with Microsoft SQL Server, Pervasive.SQL, Btrieve, and earlier versions also used C-tree, although after the buyout all new versions switched entirely to Microsoft SQL Server databases.

Previous versions of Microsoft Dynamics GP were available in two editions:

* Standard: Up to 10 simultaneous users, and 500 payroll employees for each defined company.
* Professional: Unlimited users, additional user-level security options, consolidation tools, automatic purchase order generation, and more reporting/analysis options. In addition, Professional Edition includes additional manufacturing and field service modules.

Microsoft recently announced a change to their licensing of Dynamics GP called Business Ready Licensing (BRL). This new licensing format applied only to new customers, although existing customers can switch over to Business Ready, and is based on a per named user cost instead of the previous cost per module licensing program which supported concurrent user licensing rather than named user. The advantage to the new BRL is that customers now get every module included with the software, and only have to pay for each concurrent user in the system. To coincide with this licensing change, a fixed price offering has also been launched.

Microsoft Dynamics GP is now available in two versions: Business Essentials and Advanced Management

What does Microsoft Dynamics GP (formerly Great Plains) software offer our company?

To keep this short and to the point here’s the notable benefits/solutions that comes with the package:

-Analytics - Utilizes “Crystal Reports” in building and designing reports and some.

-Customization Tools - comprehensive customization tools to enable .NET developers to create real-time, transactional connections between Microsoft Dynamics GP and other applications and expand potential for new features and functionality

-Supply Chain Management - SCM

-Analysis Cubes - for Microsoft Office Excel is a core component of the GP financial system which leverages the power of SQL Server and helps you define and extract key data and present in an easy to analyze mode to enable accurate, strategic decision-making.

-Financial management- Analytical Accounting, Bank Reconciliation, Cash Flow Management, Collections Management, ebanking, and some

-Field service - This has nine powerful elements within a single user interface to manage engineer service calls, preventive maintenance, contract administration. Data can be entered remotely. PDA and CRM integration. (How great is that!)
Human resource management - HR management

-Manufacturing - Job Costing, Materials Requirements Planning (MRP), Bill of Materials..

-Project accounting - Similar to project management/gantts charts, etc. Connects project activities with company financials and timelines so that projects get completed on time and within budget.

This software is no joke. If you visit Microsoft’s website they can provide you a demo version for all you serious buyers out there.

Accounting, E-procurement, SCM Accounting

Supply Chain Management Software | Eliminating the Bullwhip!

Using Supply Chain Management Software to eliminate the bullwhip effect! Stop, I was just kidding. There is no SCM software out there that can eliminate the bullwhip effect entirely. This doesn’t mean not to invest some company money into a supply chain system.

We’re in a bad time (2008 Recession) when supply risks loom larger than ever, many companies lack strategic approaches to manage that risk and ensure supply continuity. Many companies are either stocking too much or stocking too less of goods. This fact, combined with the increasingly global nature of today’s business climate, makes supply management a daunting task for every organization that procures goods and services.

To gain success, this requires continuous collaboration among purchasing, engineering, supply operations, and vendor personnel. Companies must reduce complexity in their supply chains to maximize margins and launch products with agility. Sourcing processes need to be streamlined to optimize direct material costs and enable the supply base to support and respond to changing needs.

Designed with these best business practices in mind, supply chain management software combine supplier relationship management (SRM) processes with collaboration and procurement processes that cut across time-horizon, functional, and geographical boundaries.

The best example I can give you about 2 companies that have worked on SCM to the finest in any industry is, Wal Mart and Proctor and Gamble. They use just in time (JIT) systems, and etc. These two companies are the pioneers in SCM.

Supply Management solutions generally allow you to manage the product costs through the overall product life cycle, with the capability to define target costs and compare them with actual costs. The solution enables costs to be loaded in for components and sub-assemblies from various internal or supplier-provided inputs and can perform multi-tier cost roll-up to the product level. The cost elements not only incorporate sourcing or supplier prices but additional transformation and uplift costs like assembly, manufacturing, and transportation costs. This gives users the ability to view the total product costs with their elements and drive actual costs to meet targets over the product realization cycle. Through these processes and the ability to examine and compare prices from multiple suppliers, users can align costs with margin targets, retaining market share and overall profitability.

To name some of the benefits of using a Supply Management Software:

Reduced direct material spend, Increased compliance, Reduced inbound supply chain and logistics costs, Improved user productivity, Decreased inventory, Increased revenue potential, and Shorter cash-to-cash cycles.

Here’s some of the industry leaders you may want to have a look at in depth:

Capterra, Cognos, Microsoft, IBM, Logility. There are many more, just spend sometime using the free SCM software out there first before deciding on which one you want to purchase. Keep in mind a good SCM system should be customizable to your companies needs prior to implementation. Good luck.

SCM supply chain management