27 New Microsoft Dynamics GP Features You Should Know – Part II

Over the years, Microsoft has updated its Dynamics GP platform with many new, exciting features for businesses to leverage — and the company’s recent R2 release, which it unveiled on October 1, proves to be no different.

We’re taking a closer look at the R2 release in a new, two-part blog series. Part I of the series reviewed the first 14 features businesses should know about the release (click here to read our recap if you haven’t already), and today we’re reviewing the final 13 features that should be on your radar. So, without further ado, let’s dive in!

Sales Improvements

With the release, the platform’s Sales feature received a wide variety of enhancements designed to improve relationships with potential and current customers:

1. Anytime, Anywhere Data Access With Intelligent Cloud Insights: When you login to Dynamics GP, you’ll see a new tab on your personal home page labeled, “Intelligent Cloud Insights.” This feature allows you to keep your data on premises but with the added benefit of uploading some of it to the cloud, leveraging the Dynamics 365 Business Central platform. You can read Microsoft’s full recap of the Intelligent Cloud Insights feature here.
2. Sort by Option Added to SOP Item Inquiry: With this new feature added to the Sales Order Processing (SOP) Item Inquiry window, users can find information faster and sort by Document Number, Document Type, Item Number, Document Date and Customer ID.

Want to see these features in action? Click here.

3. Customer Combiner — Ship-to Address Retention: When using the Customer Combiner Tool to merge two customer records, the system now will retain the ship-to address.
4. Email Customer Statements From Customer Maintenance Window: Historically, users would have to print or download statements before sending them. However, in GP 2018 R2, you now can email customer statements directly in the Customer Maintenance window. A new Email option is available in the ribbon, which will automatically send the statement to the email address you’ve set up for the customer.
5. Print and Email SOP Documents: Another convenient feature added in GP 2018 R2 is the option to print and email SOP documents at the same time. In the Sales Document Print Options window, the destination box features checkboxes, allowing users to select both “Print Document” and “Send Document in Email.” Previously, users had to email documents and then print the remaining amount for processing.
6. Print in Functional Currency: Designed to make invoice printing easier for customers, Microsoft has added a “Currency to Print” option in the Sales Order Processing Navigation List. Now, users can print in either the originating currency or the customer’s currency. This feature will prove to be a major time saver because users won’t have to navigate to the historical window to print a document if they want it reflected in a customer’s currency.
7. Sales Transaction Workflow: Workflows are powerful ways to automate processes, and the Sales Transaction Workflow has made it easier for users to automate approvals and credit limit notifications. Now, users can set workflow approvals on customer credit limits and also set workflow approvals on all transaction types in the Sales Transaction Entry window.
8. New SmartList for Deposits on Unposted Sales Transactions: Deposits on Unposted Sales Transactions is a new option under Sales Transactions; it allows users to quickly view customers who have put a deposit on a sales transaction that hasn't posted yet.

   Payroll Features

   The Payroll feature received new, important enhancements designed to make life easier for human resources professionals when it comes to tracking hours, printing paychecks and managing benefits within GP:

9. Start Date and End Date for Each Pay Code: Different employees have different pay schedules, and now Dynamics GP 2018 R2 allows users to include and exclude employees during a check run based on specific dates in the Employee Pay Code Maintenance window. Therefore, if the check run takes place before a start date or after an end date, that particular pay code will not be included.
10. Shared Maximum Benefit and Deduction Code: A new window, Ded/Ben Shared Limit Setup, allows you to set up a calendar-year maximum for multiple benefit and deduction codes. When a user processes a check run, the system will look at the year-to-date amount and compare it to the calendar-year maximum in this new window. 
11. New FICA Totals: The third feature is the new totals print on the Payroll Check Register report for Federal Insurance Contributions Act (FICA) compliance. With this new feature, the following totals all print on the Payroll Check Register report:
    • Total FICA Owed
    • Total Employee FICA Owed
    • FICA Medicare Total
    • FICA Social Security Total

To learn more about each of these features, visit Microsoft's website.

Security Additions

Cybersecurity is a hot-button issue and one that all businesses should take seriously. Microsoft takes a hard stance on cybersecurity and, with this new release, the company made a few enhancements to help customers improve password security. The two features added to GP 2018 R2 make the process of changing a password more convenient for users and also provide them with more options:

12. Increased Maximum Password Length: With the emergence of passphrases instead of passwords, and as Microsoft continues to support its customers’ focus on security, GP now allows users to create longer passwords. The maximum password length in SQL is 21, and Microsoft has applied this same standard to passwords in Dynamics GP.
13. Password Expiration Reminders: Though Microsoft has long required users to change their passwords frequently, the time frames were inconsistent and notifications would appear without warning. However, in GP 2018 R2, users will receive notifications seven days before their password expires so that they have time to make a change.

Empower Your Operations With Microsoft Dynamics GP 2018

At Wipfli, we know the power of Microsoft Dynamics GP as a familiar, yet advanced enterprise resource planning (ERP) option for growing businesses. Microsoft has continued to improve the Dynamics GP platform over the years, with many of these additions requested in the Microsoft Collaborate Platform (formerly Microsoft Connect).

Whether your company has used Dynamics for decades, or you’re in search of a new platform for your growing business, Wipfli is proud to work with and recommend a few trusted ERP vendors to our clients — and Microsoft has long been one of them.

Take the Next Step

Is your business in the market for a GP upgrade? Are you looking for a new partner to support your company’s ongoing use of the GP platform? Look no further than Wipfli's technology consulting practice — our team of experienced technologists will help you evaluate your options and make the best-possible decisions for your business, based on your current and ongoing technology needs.

Be sure to stay connected to our latest articles and commentary on Dynamics GP by following us on Twitter. If you have any questions about the R2 release or the platform itself, contact our team today.