Your organization has invested heavily in your ERP system which is the backbone of your organization’s data processing and reporting requirements, but are you getting the most out of it?
With the assistance of your Microsoft Dynamics GP consultant, bottlenecks and inefficiencies can be identified and evaluated to determine what processes can be better streamlined within your operations to save productivity time and investment capital. Further analysis can be performed to evaluate the data captured and your current reporting outputs to identify areas for improvement, while increasing your reporting capabilities.
Benefits that may be realized from the relationship with your Microsoft Dynamics GP Consultant are:
- Experience with many industry specific needs
- Up-to-date on 3rd party offerings that may fill GAPs recognized by your organization
- Knowledge of upcoming product releases and features
- Knowledge of what works with what
- Understand the direction that Microsoft is heading
- Extensive network of resources to assist your organization
When you develop a long-term relationship with your Microsoft Dynamics GP consultant, they understand your business model, your business needs, your system architecture, and you. They know where your organization has been and where it is going. By developing a long-term relationship with your Microsoft Dynamics GP consultant, they are better suited to assist in supporting your current environment, while planning for your future growth. Creating a lasting relationship with your Microsoft Dynamics GP consultant can make things go much smoother and often, may determine the success of your ERP implementation.
Your Microsoft Dynamics GP consultant may be used as an asset to your organization and may assist in many functional areas including: Advising, Implementing, Training, and Supporting. The functional areas are described in more detail under each role below:
Advisory
You can use your Microsoft Dynamics GP consultant’s experience in an advisory role. In this capacity, the Microsoft Dynamics GP consultant can analyze your current system to be able to advise on better ways in which to utilize your Microsoft Dynamics GP system. By utilizing the experience achieved working with other companies with similar requirements, the consultant can help determine more efficient ways to capture your essential data, increase efficiencies to realize improved processes, and highlight additional areas to address to maximize the use of your system.
Not only can the Microsoft Dynamics GP consultant be helpful in advising with the current system framework, they may also be utilized to assist with your future requirements as well. The Microsoft Dynamics GP consultant can perform a needs analysis to identify keys areas on how best to make the system fit those requirements and help address the organization’s needs as you grow.
Implementation
Another key area in which your Microsoft Dynamics GP consultant may assist your organization is with Implementation. With all the moving parts within an ERP system, such as Microsoft Dynamics GP, Implementations can be quite intensive and setups do not always come out correct. With the assistance of your Microsoft Dynamics GP consultant, the Implementation has a greater probability of success and your organization is more likely to fulfill those requirements.
For most implementations, we often use a JAD process or Joint Application Design. This process gets both the key stakeholders within an organization and the consultants together to discuss each aspect of your system for both the current system and the “To Be” system to make sure your needs are aligned. During this process the key stakeholders are interviewed and details are collected to fully define how they would like the system to function, the firm operational requirements, and the “Wish List” items. After the information is collected, a JAD document is created for approval that details the items discussed, any requirement gaps, and how each item will be addressed. Once the JAD documents is signed off, then it is used as a base roadmap for the actual installation, configuration and Implementation of the system.
Training
Training is essential for all ERP systems and should be a continuous process even after the Implementation is complete. Your Dynamics GP consultant is available to address any of your training needs. Training can take many forms such as class room training, web training, train the trainer, one-on-one training, refresher training, user manuals, and training videos.
- Class Room Training – Instructor led training generally held in a conference room or classroom. This training can be conducted by either your Dynamics GP consultant or another instructor familiar with the process they are training on. For most implementations, this type of training is used to efficiently pass knowledge to the individuals managing and processing the data.
- Web Training – Similar to Class Room Training or even One-on-One Training, this type of training is conducted by your Dynamics GP consultant or an instructor over the internet.
- Train the Trainer – This type of training is by the Dynamics GP consultant to train individuals who perform a central training role within your organization, who then can go out and train other individuals based on their role within the organization. This can be affective when you have a geographically dispersed group that requires training or you want to have an in-house trainer to assist with supporting your ERP system.
- One-on-One Training- This type of training is used by the Dynamics GP consultant to sit with an individual to identify specific issues they may be having and how they should best address them. This type of training can be effective to address particular concerns and issues to help the individual improve their efficiency and utilize more of the system that is available.
- Refresher Training – Refresher Training is generally a Class Room or Web Training that reinforces training already taken. This type of training enables individuals to refresh their knowledge and take advantage of part of the system they may not have been using. This type of training further enables the individual to get up to speed on new features available after upgrades or service packs. After working with the system, we get used to how we do things and neglect the new features offered as new versions are installed.
- User Manuals – User manuals for Microsoft Dynamics GP are offered for each module and third-party package within Microsoft Dynamics GP. These manuals can be a valuable resource to reinforce any training taken and can be referenced later as needed. The manuals can further be used to review configuration requirements and setups, transaction processing steps, reporting, etc.
- Training Videos – Training videos for Microsoft Dynamics GP are offered by many resources including Microsoft, Third Party Vendors, ISVs, and U-Tube. The videos available range from full training to specific functional requirements, such as setting up a checkbook, configuration of the AR module, selecting and printing checks, etc.
Support
Support provided by your Dynamics GP consultant is an on-going relationship designed to address your organization’s issues and needs after the implementation is complete. Your Microsoft Dynamics GP consultant knows Microsoft Dynamics GP, they understand your business model, they understand your business needs, they know your system architecture, and they know where your organization has been and where it is going. Your Microsoft Dynamics GP consultant is the best asset suited to assist in supporting your current environment, while planning for your future growth. Creating a lasting relationship with your Microsoft Dynamics GP consultant can make things go much smoother and often, may determine your success with Microsoft Dynamics GP.
