2010.

the
Summit
A quarterly publication of Summit Group Software

In this issue:

Life In the Cloud

Microsoft
Dynamics
CRM & Goal
Management
Year-End
Procedures
Best Practices:
Maintenance
& Backups
 From the President’s Desk
Year-End Procedures for
I
can hardly believe 2010 is almost
over - 2011 will mark the begin-
ning of Summit Group Software’s
7th year in business!  It is hard to
believe how fast the time goes and
Microsoft Dynamics GP
I want to extend a thank you for the By Janelle Montplaisir, Microsoft Dynamics Consultant, MCT
role each and every one of our cus-

tomers has played in our success
story.
As many of you may know, we
announced in November that we
were brining on board Jody Miller
from Miller & McKenna Consulting.  I want to welcome the
40+ Microsoft Dynamics GP customers that are now part of
the Summit Group Software family.  Jody will be working for
Summit Group Software out of northern Minnesota. We will
be holding our first User Group Meeting at Spirit Mountain
in Duluth on December 16, 2010 at 9:30 am. If you want more
information on this event or our upcoming year-end closing
W
ith 2011 nearly upon us, it remains Module Close Order
important to review year-end proce- Another important item related to year-end closing is the ORDER in which
dures for the various modules within the modules are closed. Listed below is the order in which you should close the
Microsoft Dynamics GP. The most important modules for the year.
thing to remember prior to doing year-end 1 Inventory
close for any module is to make a recoverable 2 Receivables
backup. The second most important item - re- 3 Payables
view all of the necessary closing procedures prior 4 Fixed Assets
to making that backup. 5 Analytical Accounting (Microsoft DynamicsGP 10.0 Service Pack2 or later)
Year-End Closing Procedures 6 General Ledger
Planning ahead and making a back up is Payroll Close

Smart Technology. events, (both online and in person) visit www.summitgroup-

software.com to register.     
Summit Group Software held our 2nd annual customer
the most important thing. Ninety-nine per-
cent of module year-end closes go flawlessly as
long as processes and procedures are followed.
For those using Microsoft Dynamics GP Payroll or Canadian Payroll, it is ex-
tremely important to complete ALL 2010 pay runs prior to processing any Payroll Year-

Experienced Team.
There’s no better time than now to invest in
technologies that can make your business more
efficient. And there’s no better team to help you
than the knowledgeable experts from Marco.
Communication technologies are changing
quickly. You’ve seen and heard about Voice over
IP–but have you had a chance to experience
conference in late October at the Microsoft Executive Briefing
Center in Fargo, ND.  There were 115 people in attendance
this year. Concurrent sessions ran throughout the day focused
on Microsoft Dynamics GP, Microsoft Dynamics CRM, and
numerous ISV products. There was something for everyone
with positive feedback from attendees about topics and con-
tent.  Mark your calendars for next year’s event.  It will be held
on October 13, 2011 at the same location.  We are already in
the planning stages to make the 2011 event bigger and better.
We would love to hear from you with any feedback, ideas or
Whether running on a Fiscal Year or Cal-
endar Year, both sets of closing instructions
from Microsoft are provided with each mod-
ule. For your convenience, the articles for
closing each module will be published directly
on our website for download once they have
been released from Microsoft later this month.
End Procedures. Microsoft will release the 2010 Payroll-Year-End Close Procedures,
2010 Payroll Year-End Updates, and 2011 Payroll Tax Updates sometime in December.
If at any point you are unsure of these procedures, please take a moment to
contact us and discuss any uncertainties.
For more information and details regarding Year-End Close Procedures for
Microsoft Dynamics GP, visit our website SummitGroupSoftware.com where you
can access helpful tips and register for a Year-End User Group or Webinar. ▲

Want Better Cost Management?

true multimedia communications like instant
messaging, presence, and desktop video
conferencing and collaboration? These
applications work seamlessly with Dynamics
CRM and Great Plains.
Ask us to show you how these technologies can
positively impact your productivity and your
bottom line.
Connect with Marco - your trusted
technology advisor.
voice data video print
changes you would like to see.
I want to encourage everyone to plan ahead as we hit the
end of the year.  Whether you need assistance with year-end
closing, upgrading, installing a service pack, or any other type
of service – it’s a busy time of year. I encourage you to work
with your account manager now to get your projects and/or Use WennSoft Job Cost & Time Track
year-end close time scheduled.  Our team is here to help and
make sure things go as smooth as possible.  As a reminder, our
holiday hours are on our webpage. 
Visibility into areas of profit or loss Management agility to come in under budget
Finally, in addition to our newest employee, Jody Single entry with system-wide impact Built on Microsoft Dynamics® GP
Miller, Christine Hoper joined our team this fall.  Chris-
tine previously worked for Microsoft and has a very
diverse background both technically and in a proj-
ect management capacity.  We look forward to the im-
pact Christine and Jody will have as part of our team. 
As always, thanks for your continued business and support.  ®
Happy Holidays! Find out what WennSoft can do for you!
Contact Oxana Belikh at 262-317-3727 People  • Process • Product
Integration by Design
www.wennsoft.com

www.marconet.com 701.282.8195 Eric

2 the Summit 2010.4 :: a publication of Summit Group Software 888.929.1387 :: SummitGroupSoftware.com 3

 Windows Azure Benefits
Agility – Through the exposure and
use of development tools, online applica-
tions, and datacenters, organizations can
adjust infrastructure more quickly than
hosting these services on site. Consider-
ing the cost of additional hardware and
software when installing Microsoft Dy-
namics CRM or any other business ap-
plication and the time it takes to imple-
ment, troubleshoot, and support those
items, Cloud enabled applications pro-
vide an agile alternative.
Efficiency – When evaluating pro-
ductivity relative to the investment of
Cloud based computing, consider an
example our organization internally
encountered. For some time, our orga-
nization had been running Microsoft
Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 and Windows Azure: Exchange and Microsoft SharePoint on
a Small Business Server. An internal re-
SharePoint components of the environ-
ment hosted by Microsoft and it is work-
ing well.
Trustworthy and Reliable – From
Microsoft’s perspective, organizations
utilizing Cloud available applications
enjoy a 99.9% uptime and the assurance
of information being secure. One area
of concern is the security challenge that
is posed by a Cloud service that allows
third party developers to create applica-
tions and host them in the Azure cloud.
Microsoft has designed the Azure plat-
form with security in mind – building in
a number of different security features.
An important aspect of securing data is
verifying the identities of those who re-
quest access. Microsoft has .NET Access
Control Service, which works with web
services and web applications to provide
a way to integrate common identities.
existing models, firewalls across data
centers (owned by enterprises) protect
this sensitive information. In the cloud
model, service providers are responsible
for maintaining data security and orga-
nizations have to rely on them.
Microsoft SQL Azure 2008, has
Transparent Data Encryption (TDE),
which enables developers to encrypt data
fully with very little effort. Additionally,
SQL Azure 2008 has the SQL Azure Fire-
wall tool which functions essentially the
same as the use of local sofware firewalls
or even SQL Server security surface area
toolsets.
Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online
– For organizations looking to purchase a
SaaS product such as Microsoft Dynam-
ics CRM Online, it uses Windows Live
ID to manage the authentication process.
The Windows Live ID service is designed

Life in the Cloud

source was tasked with maintaining the
server and the software on it. This re-
source’s time was split between regular
customer-facing projects and internal IT.
Too frequently, the resource had to stop
what he was doing to correct various Ex-
change server issues. Business Produc-
tivity Office Suite (BPOS) came to the
How Microsoft Addresses
Common Cloud Concerns
Despite its growing influence, con-
cerns regarding cloud computing still
remain. However, the benefits outweigh
the drawbacks and the model is worth
exploring.
to manage identity and trust within the
Windows Live ecosystem. Windows Live
ID provides a single-sign on experience
that allows businesses and customers
to use a single set of credentials (logon
name and password) for accessing vari-
ous Web sites or Web applications. With
Windows Live ID authentication, Micro-

M
icrosoft Dynamics CRM 2011 certainly DOES have a future in the clouds. Much rescue! Our organization implemented Data Protection – Organizations soft Dynamics CRM Online users who
has been made in the technology and development realm over the last few BPOS and we now have Exchange and fear losing data to competition and the navigate their Microsoft Dynamics CRM
years concerning “computing in the cloud”. For developers, the ability to lever- data confidentiality of customers. In the > Cloud, continued on page 9
By Josh Behl, Microsoft Dynamics age Microsoft’s Azure Platform is exciting! But for the rest of the world, particularly
CRM Consultant, MCT those who are avid consumers of Microsoft Dynamics products, why care? Is Windows
Azure and its technical cohorts simply the flavor of the day and is it all much ado about
nothing? This article will explore where to begin in understanding what Azure is and
what it could mean to an organization.

Terminology
To start, here are a few common terms used in cloud computing and how this
article uses them.
Cloud Computing: Web-based processing where shared resources, software, and
information are provided to client computers and other devices on demand such as
smart phones.
Windows Azure: A cloud services operating system that serves as the develop-
ment, service hosting, and service management environment for the Windows Azure
platform. Windows Azure provides developers with on-demand computing and stor-
age to host, scale, and manage web applications on the internet through Microsoft data-
centers. Windows Azure is essentially the operating system all Cloud enabled applica-
tions run on or interact with.
Microsoft SQL Azure: Microsoft SQL Azure extends Microsoft’s SQL Server Data
platform capabilities to the cloud. SQL Azure provides data services (including a rela-
THE LEADER IN DATA MIGRATION AND
tional database), reporting, and data synchronization with mobile users, remote offices,
and business partners.
INTEGRATION FOR MICROSOFT DYNAMICS®
SaaS: Software as a Service. An example of this is Microsoft Dynamics CRM
Online.
CRM AND MICROSOFT DYNAMICS® GP
IaaS: Infrastructure as a Service. An example of this is Microsoft Active Directory.
PaaS: Platform as a Service. An example of this is Microsoft SQL Azure.

4 the Summit 2010.4 :: a publication of Summit Group Software 888.929.1387 :: SummitGroupSoftware.com 5


Featured ISV
Connecting Enterprise Resource
Planning and E-Commerce
I
n today’s fast paced, data-driven business world it is not uncom-
mon for customers and suppliers to request access to the same
information employees get through their enterprise resource
planning (ERP) system such as payment history, order status
and inventory levels. The only catch is customers and suppliers
want access to this information anywhere, at any time. The so-
lution for many is bringing together ERP and e-commerce plat-
forms which can result in a more transparent and user-friendly
environment where information is readily available for employ-
ees and external suppliers and consumers. However, providing
the necessary links between an ERP and e-commerce platform
that manages prod­uct catalogs, website content, browsing capa-
bilities, customer information, orders and transactions is a huge
undertaking. Evaluating a solution that involves so many differ-
ent components and requirements that work together as one can
prove to be a daunting task for any company.
Part of the complexity associated with this comes in de-
veloping different web portals so users can access specific in-
formation. Whether it is dealing with suppliers and dealers
through business-to-business environments, customer oriented
business-to-consumer sites, or customer service focused sales
portals, each site needs to have the intended functionality and
features needed for the right audience. Companies that meet the
challenge of sufficiently integrating their ERP and e-commerce
platform, in addition to providing a secure payment processing
environment that keeps customer’s cardholder data safe, can
operate more efficiently and enhance customer satisfaction and
service.
The Benefits of Bringing ERP Systems
and Web Stores Together
In order for information to be updated continuously and
flow from the internal ERP environment to the web store envi-
ronment, organizations need to properly manage two separate
6 the Summit 2010.4 :: a publication of Summit Group Software
By Giuseppe Ianni,
Director of Sales and Marketing.
databases – one database serving the web server and the other
serving their back-office financial ERP system like Microsoft
Dynamics GP. This is where Microsoft SQL Server transactional
replication comes in to play to help manage the flow and stor-
age of data across separate databases. SQL Server transactional
replication provides a way to distribute data between two sepa-
rate databases and then synchronize that data to maintain con-
sistency. This makes it possible to take orders, sales, or quotes
entered online and automatically update them into an ERP like
Microsoft Dynamics GP real time.
With dynamic database management between two sys-
tems, e-commerce becomes truly integrated and makes it easier
to manage inventory stored in an ERP program while having
the ability to display and publish that inventory catalog simulta-
neously to the web store. Imagine being able to make changes
to the pricing structure of select items in the Item Maintenance
windows of an ERP business solution software such as Micro-
soft Dynamics GP and apply discounts like free shipping or
buy-one-get-one-free offers to a certain group of customers who
login. Let’s say a company wants to show the stock availability
and quantity on hand for certain items in Microsoft Dynamics
GP displayed and reflected on their web store – with direct SQL
reading and writing, all of these scenarios are possible.
Bringing these two systems together allows for the ability
to make changes in one database and have those changes au-
tomatically update across the other system. Not only will this
save time, but it reduces duplicate entry errors that can plague
manual double order entry processes.
Operating a Secure Environment and
Keeping Cardholder Data Safe
For companies that are taking orders online and handling
credit card data that flows back into an ERP, using a secure, test-
ed, and proven payment software application is a must. Making
sure card data like CVV codes and full
magnetic strip track data is not stored,
in addition to encrypting and masking
credit card numbers, are just some of the
common safeguards and security proce-
dures necessary to protect sensitive cred-
it card information. With credit card data
breaches becoming a major problem, the
PCI Security Standards Council (the gov-
erning body responsible for oversight of
security standards for account data pro-
tection) has developed a set of mandates.
These mandates are designed to help
protect merchants from credit card fraud
and are called the Payment Card Industry
Data Security Standard (PCI DSS). These
PCI security requirements apply to both
software applications that process credit
cards as well any company completing
transactions with credit cards. For com-
panies processing credit cards, it means
more standards and best practices to ad-
here to.
Companies need to make sure that
the payment application software they
are using is PA-DSS (Payment Application
Data Security Standard) validated. PA-
DSS applies to any third party payment
application software that stores, process-
es, or transmits cardholder data as a part
of an authorization or settlement. Using
applications that are PA-DSS validated
helps companies in the overall process
of maintaining a PCI compliant environ-
ment. It is also important to mention that
companies that use an uncertified credit
card payment solution may be unable to
receive a merchant account or be forced
to pay higher rates. Once a company is
PCI DSS compliant, it makes it easier to
gain customer trust and assurance that
their purchasing environment is safe. In
addition to that, it also makes companies
less likely to receive hefty fines due to se-
curity breaches. With organizations and
even legislatures pushing for more laws
surrounding data security, companies
need to realize that securing their envi-
ronment and using a PA-DSS validated
payment application are important steps
in the software selection process.
Azox – Bringing Together
ERP and E-Commerce
Bringing e-commerce and internal
enterprise resource planning systems to-
gether involves consideration on many
different levels including connectivity,
functionality, and security. Azox realizes
the complexities in implementing a solu-
tion like this. By using integrated e-com-
merce solutions, like the products from
888.929.1387 :: SummitGroupSoftware.com
Azox, the path to a more connected, se-
cure, and easier to manage shopping en-
vironment can be reached.
Azox is a Microsoft Managed ISV fo-
cused on providing e-commerce and pay-
ment processing solutions for Microsoft
Dynamics GP. Azox develops and deliv-
ers fully integrated Business to Business
(B2B), Business to Consumer (B2C), and
Sales Portal e-commerce websites that
are built on Microsoft Dynamics GP.
Consumers, distributors, and customer
service representatives have the abil-
ity to place orders or quotes online and
have that information automatically en-
tered into Microsoft Dynamics GP real
time with Azox solutions. From devel-
oping more fully featured online envi-
ronments, to building PA-DSS certified
credit card/check processing for Micro-
soft Dynamics GP with online bill pay
capabilities for existing websites, Azox
can offer a complete and secure shopping
environment that fits individual business
needs.
For more information about Azox
e-commerce products, visit azox.com or
contact Giuseppe Ianni at 734-928-6004
or gianni@azox.com or contact your ac-
count manager. ▲
7
 multi-faceted than the previous example,
the application can accommodate. The
Goal Management Feature will also
show the progress against the goal and
actual data progress. The Rollup Query-
Actual (Integer) field can be created to
define exactly which records the goal
will be evaluated against. If needed, a
goal can be defined against a particular
subset of data.
Microsoft Dynamics CRM reports
such as the Progress Against Goals or
embedded charts available by default
allow goal administrators and users the
ability to see how their teams and mem-
> Cloud, continued from page 5
Online site are prompted to provide Windows Live ID credentials.
Data exchanged with Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online uses the Microsoft
implementation of the industry-standard Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) protocol. SSL
helps secure data at several levels, providing server authentication, data encryp-
tion, and data integrity. These features help secure data from incidental corrup-
tion and from malicious attack, and are intended to avoid common Web-based
threats. Microsoft Dynamics CRM can support from 40 to 256 bit encryped con-
nections. Data is securable if choosing to use SaaS, IaaS, or Paas – and in the case
of Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online, data is very secure.
Data Recovery and Availability – All SaaS business applications have service
level agreements that are stringently followed. Operational teams play a key role in
management of service level agreements and runtime governance of applications.
In production environments, operational teams support appropriate clustering
and fail over, data replication, system monitoring (transactions monitoring, logs

Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 &

bers are progressing with particular goal monitoring, and others), maintenance (Runtime governance), disaster recovery,
types or metrics. Additionally, Microsoft and capacity and performance management.
SQL Server Reporting services can cre- Regulatory and Compliance Restrictions – As a service provider, Microsoft
ate even more advanced or customized must comply with regulatory requirements of the governmental entities within

Goal Management
reporting.
This inclusion of a truly viable goal
management solution in Microsoft Dy-
namics CRM is just one of the many
reasons why Microsoft Dynamics CRM
2011 should be seriously considered for
an upgrade or replacement of current
By Josh Behl,
whose jurisdictions Azure operates, along with industry regulations that cover
many companies in specific fields. Microsoft’s compliance framework is designed
to address this challenge. The Microsoft Cloud undergoes annual audits for PCI
DSS, SOX and HIPAA compliance, as well as internal assessments throughout the
year. The Microsoft cloud has obtained ISO/IEC 27001:2005 certification and SAS
70 Type I and II attestations.
Jump into the Cloud?

I
systems. If you have questions about goal
Microsoft Dynamics n previous versions of Microsoft Dynamics CRM, goal management was primarily
management or would like to visit about The answer depends upon the organization’s short and long term IT strategies,
CRM Consultant, MCT relegated to the use of the limited Sales Quota functionality, the installation of a
Microsoft Dynamics CRM, contact your business objectives, and the comfort level regarding common concerns relative to
clever accelerator from CodePlex, or the creation of custom entities to accommo-
account manager. ▲ computing in the Cloud. Contact your account manager if you want to talk more
date goal management needs. None of these solutions was scalable. With the pend-
ing Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 release, Microsoft introduces a very viable solu- about Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online, Microsoft Azure, or Cloud computing. ▲
tion to this gap in functionality with the creation of the Goal Management feature.
In Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011, users can create goals for users or teams.
These goals can measure anything from sales numbers to customer satisfaction to
nearly any other kind of metric. For example, if a customer service manager wants
to track the number of surveys returned by customers that ranked overall satisfac-
tion of their service seven or higher, a goal could be setup to be associated with a
customer service team and the metrics could be evaluated against a custom entity
called Survey.
Additionally, when one considers user acceptance and use of Microsoft Dynam-
ics CRM, one of the most challenging things to glean from the raw data is tracking
creation and modification of records. Goal management can provide a great deal
of insight into customer interactions and calculate user and team progress toward
particular thresholds that measure success.
Let’s take a look at a real example to illustrate the usefulness of Goal Manage-
ment: A sales manager wants to evaluate how many completed phone calls the sales
team is making. The goal of 160 calls over the next two months is established.
There are metrics to track progress for any goal. Within Goal Management,
this metric could be Weekly Completed Phone Call Goal. Goal Management will
define criteria for evaluating a phone call record to ascertain whether or not it should
be counted against a goal or not. In Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 these are called
Rollup Fields records. Multiple rollup fields can be created for any one goal metric.
Once we have determined what is being evaluated, the goals for each salesper-
son can be set up. To do this, a Goal Record is created for each salesperson. When
defining any goal, it is important to give it a timeframe to evaluate progress against,
such as a particular date range.
Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 will support both the definition of parent and
child goals. In a scenario where goals established for users are more complex or

8 the Summit 2010.4 :: a publication of Summit Group Software 888.929.1387 :: SummitGroupSoftware.com 9


M
any Not-For-Profit organizations
(NFP) have had difficulty finding
a solution to effectively and ef-
ficiently handle needs such as donor and
pledge management, membership man-
agement, and event management. While
a solution could always be custom created
for their needs, the cost was often prohib-
itive to many limited NFP IT budgets and
was never pursued. Microsoft has created
a powerful solution specifically for NFPs
that is both efficient AND cost effective!
Earlier this year, Microsoft released
a specialized version of Microsoft Dy-
namics CRM Online product address-
ing many needs of NFP users. A result
of significant research, focus groups and
development have produced a version of
Microsoft Dynamics CRM that allows
NFP organizations to track the informa-
tion that is important to them while also
using the terminology that is consistent
with many of their operations.
Real Benefits to NFPs
Microsoft Dynamics CRM On-
line for NFP offers the flexibility of be-
ing hosted by Microsoft and accessed
through user workstations. This elimi-
nates the need for managing yet another
application on an organization’s servers
allowing for reduced information tech-
nology costs associated with its use. With
upgrades and service pack updates being
handled by Microsoft, be assured that so-
lutions will be up to date with the most
currently released version.
Donations
Microsoft has taken the general
Microsoft Dynamics CRM application,
which boasts easy usability and adoption
by those organizations utilizing Microsoft
Outlook and other popular Microsoft Of-
10 the Summit 2010.4 :: a publication of Summit Group Software
Microsoft Dynamics CRM :
Made for
Not-for-Profits
By Paul Johnson CPA, MBA
fice products, and created specific NFP
functionality. The first customizations
provide for donor and pledge manage-
ment. Track the donor information and
contributions made and track items such
as the success of a given donor campaign
or program to determine true return. The
collection of online donations can also be
simplified through a built-in integration
with Amazon Payment Services and the
provision of related source code to allow
for potential integration with other online
donation portals or systems. Combine
this with the creation of a workflow and
things such as creating thank you letters
or e-mails to donors becomes simple as it
can be made as automated as preferred.
Management of pledges is also handled
by Microsoft Dynamics CRM and can be
incorporated into workflows to make sure
staff can track those valuable pledges.
Members
Providing for tracking of members is
easy with Microsoft Dynamics CRM for
NFPs. The ability to track membership in-
formation by individual or organization is
built into the solution. Attributes such as
membership beginning and end dates, pro-
gram and benefit qualifications, and dona-
tions are just a few of the many valuable
pieces of information easily tracked. The
tracking of benefits provided to members
is easy whether they are inventoried items,
services, or subscriptions. Even track ful-
filled benefits and the associated cost.
Marketing and Events
Whether focused on large direct
mail or fund raising campaigns or some-
thing smaller like a limited event, Micro-
soft Dynamics CRM Online for NFPs has
it covered. Allowing for the easy track-
ing of communications such as e-mails
sent or RSVPs received, the application
will help determine what is working and
what is not. Using things such as tem-
plates in the system provides a significant
time-saving opportunity by avoiding the
need to recreate communications for dif-
ferent campaigns.
Event planning comprises a signifi-
cant amount of time for many NFP or-
ganizations. Utilizing the functionality
in Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online for
NFP makes event management much
easier. Tracking information such as re-
sponses to invitations, attendees, spon-
sors, speakers, vendors, organization’s
staff participation and many other items
allows to effective management in most
complex events. Enter information such
as associated revenues and expenses to
prepare metrics such as ROI.
Service management can be in the
form of service activities, cases, contracts,
or orders for products and/or services.
Utilizing the service management func-
tionality allows users to capture services,
associated contracts and other docu-
ments, and the resources to provide them
such as equipment, staff, and facilities.
Effective and Affordable
Offering role-based security and
reporting functionality, tailored dash-
boards providing the most user-applica-
ble information and metrics, and many
other features makes this a very effec-
tive application for every NFP. Add in
the very affordable price being offered by
Microsoft – currently $9.99 per user per
month for qualifying organizations – and
you have a very cost effective solution.
Contact your account manager to learn
how Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online
for NFP can benefit your organization
and to set up your free 30-day trial! ▲
Migrating from FRx to
Management Reporter
By Rhonda Hawley, Microsoft Dynamics GP Consultant, MCT
W
ith the new version of Microsoft Dy-
namics GP 2010 comes a new look to
a familiar tool. Companies that have
used FRx for previous versions of Microsoft Dy-
namics GP need not fear! Continue to utilize
FRx with Microsoft Dynamics GP 2010. At the
same time, install Management Reporter and
take time to convert FRx reports into the new
system. Many customers find this is a great time
to do some “clean-up” such as delete old layouts/
reports never used or completed.
Conversion Process
The conversion process is quite simple. The
Migration Wizard tool comes with Management
Reporter and allows users to convert companies
and reports from FRx to Management Reporter
quickly, while leaving all of the FRx installation,
companies, and reports intact. This enables the
user to run FRx reports and compare with the
new Management Reporter generated reports.
When complete, a log file lists the converted
Rows, Columns, Trees, and Catalogs along with
any anomalies found.
When attempting to run the converted
Report Definitions in Management Reporter, if
errors are found, the application will place nice
little red stop signs beside particular items in the
Row or Column that are causing the issue. Sim-
ply fix the issue and re-run the report.
Things to Keep in Mind
•• Management Reporter utilizes new terminology,
here is a summary:
Management Reporter FRx
Report Definition Catalog of Reports
Row Definition Row Format
Column Definition Column Layout
Tree Definition Reporting Tree
Report Viewer Drilldown Viewer
Link to GL Link to Financial Dimensions
GL FD (Financial Dimension)
•• Management Reporter does not utilize Row Linking. Reports
using Row Linking within FRx will convert, but will not
contain links to other Row Dimensions. These reports
may need to be re-written depending on user needs.
•• Full Accounts defined in the Link to GL Row Formats in
FRx will not migrate to Management Reporter. The rows
themselves will come over, but the Link to Financial Dimension
will be blank. These will need to be re-keyed or brought in
utilizing a cut and paste method from Microsoft Excel.
•• Security from FRx will not convert. Security will need to be re-
set in Management Reporter and assigned accordingly and there is
currently no ability to drill right back into Microsoft Dynamics GP.
•• Currency Translation is scheduled to be available from Microsoft
the end of Q1 2011 and will tie directly with Multicurrency within
Microsoft Dynamics GP 2010. (No more DAX tables). “Basic”
Forecaster integration is scheduled to be available the end of Q1 2011.
Contact your account manager today to discuss your organization’s up-
grade plans for Microsoft Dynamics GP 2010 as well as the impacts to FRx and
Management Reporter for your organization. ▲
888.929.1387 :: SummitGroupSoftware.com 11

Featured ISV
By Walt Noland,
Greenshades Software
Payroll Tax Compliance is
a Breeze with Greenshades
P
ayroll tax compliance is an important as-
pect of the accounting process for any
business, but it does not have to be a chal-
lenge. Regular job functions and responsibili-
ties, together with daily surprises, are enough
to manage without having to commit valuable
mental resources to needless worry over W-2s,
1099s, unemployment insurance, etc. Don’t
sacrifice peace of mind for the ability to con-
trol processes with in-house functionality. Let
Greenshades handle that.
Greenshades allows businesses a more
seamless in-house accounting and payroll pro-
cess with fully compliant payroll tax report-
ing, year-end recipient forms and distribution
options, and an empowering employee self-
service portal that offers access to convenient
and employee-specific payroll and HR infor-
mation—all by integrating directly with Mi-
crosoft Dynamics GP (US Payroll). At a frac-
tion of the cost of outsourcing, working with
existing data, Greenshades creates files specific
to the latest parameters of all receiving agen-
cies, via a wizard-driven, push-button process.
Greenshades has worked with Microsoft
Dynamics GP since 1992 and has been provid-
ing custom solutions for clients since 1996.
Years of working direct client feedback into
the development cycles have resulted in prod-
ucts which create custom solutions that fit the
12 the Summit 2010.4 :: a publication of Summit Group Software
unique needs of Microsoft Dynamics GP us-
ers. The Greenshades Center is home to our
original tax e-file modules, which live right
inside of Microsoft Dynamics GP, making the
functionality local without requiring addition-
al support or technology infrastructure.
Greenshades Center
From Federal W-2, to 401(k), to New Hire
Reporting, the e-file wizard of the Green-
shades Center is a quick, intuitive and user-
friendly way to create and submit electronic
reportage, eliminating the need for cumber-
some paper returns. The wizard guides users
through the process of collecting and orga-
nizing payroll or accounts payable informa-
tion, transforms it into specific Federal, State
and local reporting formats, then assists with
the e-file submission. Not only is it simple to
use, but Greenshades maintains a direct, pro-
prietary transmission line for submitting Fed-
eral taxes – receive immediate confirmation
of a successful tax filing. The Greenshades
Center uses an easy-to-navigate format, and
makes various quarterly and annual tax filings
a breeze. And because all Greenshades prod-
ucts include unlimited training and support,
we are always just a phone call away in case
assistance is needed.
Greenshades Online Employee Services Additional Options
Along with simplifying payroll tax compliance, Greenshades offers a secure em-
ployee self-service portal for Microsoft Dynamics GP, which allows businesses to em-
In addition to these time, money
and paper saving solutions, Greenshades
power employees while streamlining the payroll and HR process. Greenshades Online offers Downloadmyform.com, a com-
Employee Services saves time and money by reducing paper and taking advantage of plete year-end portal for hosted e-forms
our direct integration to present important data to employees with point and click ac- and convenient distribution options for
cess. The bi-directional connection further streamlines functionality by using an ad- W-2s and 1099s. By giving employees and
ministrator approval process which pushes approved data back into Microsoft Dynam- vendor access, avoid the cost or printing
ics GP automatically. This hosted solution does not require any expensive hardware and mailing altogether. With the secure
or IT services to get up and running. And, because Greenshades Online is a direct in- electronic consent, rest assured that all
tegration to Microsoft Dynamics GP, in less than a day, go live in a very cost-effective IRS requirements are met. And, for any
manner. of the small number of forms that are
Not only does the portal allow e-mail notification of paystubs and direct deposit not picked up on the portal, print to
earning statements to employees, it gives full, hosted employee services portal. So, blank, perforated paper (no need for the
along with current and historical pay information, employees have: expensive pre-printed forms) or submit
•• Electronic W-4s and I-9s the remaining forms to Greenshades for
•• Electronic W-11s for automated management of HIRE Act tax credits outsourced printing and mailing at a dis-
counted bulk postage rate. And, just like
•• Direct Deposit Account Management all of the other Greenshades products,
•• Profile Management for update of mailing address, Downloadmyform.com direct integrates
emergency contacts, email address, etc. with Microsoft Dynamics GP, so upload
•• Time Off Requests is a breeze.
Between your Microsoft Dynam-
•• Time Entry for simple punch in/out or as a robust
ics Partner and Greenshades Soft-
time capture/time sheet solution ware, your company is in good hands.
Greenshades Online is bi-directional and collects requests that are submitted for For more information please contact
approval to the appropriate manager, payroll or HR contact. Data is then synchronized your account manager, or your Green-
with Microsoft Dynamics GP and processes are that much easier to handle, resulting shades Software account manager,
in less stress as an administrator and happy employees with access to what they need Chris Hadden, at 888.255.3815 ext 418 or
when they need it. chadden@greenshades.com. ▲
Go Green. Save Money.
Let us show you how going green delivers real savings.
• Greenshades Center
• Electronic Paystubs
• Electronic W-2/1099
• EmployeeDesk.com
• Garnishments for GP
• Professional PTO for GP
• Local Tax Manager
www.greenshades.com 1.888.255.3815
888.929.1387 :: SummitGroupSoftware.com 13

Microsoft SQL Server 2005/2008
Best Practices – Maintenance Plans and Backups
By Shawn Stewart, Microsoft Dynamics
Consultant, Project Manager
O
ne of our most common requests is for recom-
mendations on Microsoft SQL Server Mainte-
nance and Backups. Questions ranging from
how often should backups be run and how long they
should be kept, to the right types of backups to do
on a regular basis. The simple answer to these ques-
tions is “whatever works best in the environment.”
Here are a few scenarios to help understand
which approach is best for an organization.
Full Recovery
Setting the database to full recovery enables an
organization to experience less data loss in the event
of a catastrophic failure assuming the failure did not
include the backups. Full recovery is ideal for organi-
zations that cannot afford to lose more than an hour
or two of data entry. This is because multiple, small-
er backups are run throughout the regular business
day. One caveat to point out is data can be restored
to an exact hour, minute, and second. An issue that
is inherent in this situation is what was happening
in the system at that very moment. One needs to be
careful to not create a larger mess by recovering to
an unknown data status when utilizing this feature.
Here is an overview on how Full Recovery
works. Whenever a transaction is entered into Mi-
crosoft Dynamics CRM or Microsoft Dynamics GP
there is a record of the transaction stored in the trans-
action log database. In full recovery mode, these
transactions remain in the transaction log database
until they are removed via Transaction Log Backups.
These backups truncate the transaction log and store
the transactions that have already been committed
to the live database. In the event of a catastrophic
failure, this enables the users to restore the last full
backup taken plus restore the transaction logs of the
uncommitted transactions and bring the database
back to the point of the last transaction log backup or
a specific time prior to that backup.
If the database is in full recovery mode and
transaction log backups are not running, the trans-
action log database will become very large because
those uncommitted transactions are not getting
14 the Summit 2010.4 :: a publication of Summit Group Software
truncated from the database. If this is the case, run a transaction
log backup first then manually shrink the size of the transac-
tion log database. (The used space drops dramatically after this
backup, but the free space remains high.)
Simple Recovery
Run in the SQL Server environment, Simple Recovery
mode transactions are truncated from the transaction log da- Quote and Order
tabase once they are committed. Transactions are committed
once the database hits what is called a Checkpoint. When this Automation Solutions
checkpoint occurs, transactions are committed to the database
and the transaction log is truncated. This ensures that the size of
the transaction log database does not get out of hand and doesn’t
require having transaction log backups running throughout the
day.
The drawback of simple recovery for organizations that
cannot afford a great amount of data loss is there is no ability
to run transaction log backups throughout the day. If backups
need to run throughout the day, run full backups when the sys-
tem resources are not being utilized (like over lunch or breaks).
Typically, companies running in simple recovery mode run
nightly backups. If something were to happen during the day,
transactions are reentered up to the last full backup.
The advantage to having a database in simple recovery
mode is the ease of setting up and monitoring the maintenance
plans. Full backups only need to run nightly (or as frequently
as needed). There is no need to run transaction log backups to
truncate the transaction log database as these are truncated at
the checkpoints throughout the day. • Delivers 100% quote & order accuracy
• Simplifies sales of complex products
Specific SQL Server Tasks
Running of specific SQL Server tasks ensure data is in a • Portal/Web interface option
good state. There are three specific options that need to be add-
ed to each maintenance plan within SQL Server: Data Integrity,
Shrink Database, and Update Statistics.
Data Integrity task runs a specific SQL Server command
(DBCC CheckDB) to make sure there are no bad data connec-
tions within the core SQL Server data. It does not check the
data at a Business Logic level that one would see in Microsoft Experlogix Product Configurators
Dynamics GP – for example, to be sure the SOP Header and SOP for
Line Items are correct.
Shrink Database task runs another SQL Server command
Microsoft Dynamics™
(DBCC ShrinkDB) to reduce the amount of free space within the
database files and return it back to the operating system.
By issuing the Update Statistic task, the database essentially
reevaluates how it accesses the data within SQL Server. The
method or logic that SQL Server uses to most efficiently access
the data will change as the volume of data grows within the
given database.
The combination of these tasks along with the backups
within the SQL Server maintenance plan will ensure the orga- For more information, please contact
nization’s SQL Server databases are monitored, backed up, and
run at peak efficiency. Hopefully this information will assist in sales@experlogix.com
deciding which SQL Server Maintenance plan to setup for the
organization. For help determining an appropriate plan for your
organization, please contact your account manager to get start-
www.experlogix.com
ed creating a plan that works best. ▲
888.929.1387 :: SummitGroupSoftware.com 15

Ask the Expert
By Danny Rose, Microsoft Dynamics GP Consultant
and Margaret Saville, Accountant, MCP
Summarize Accounts
Question: Is there a way to quickly summarize totals for
a group of accounts in Microsoft Dynamics GP without writing
a report or downloading information into Microsoft Office Excel?
Answer: One of the more overlooked features of Microsoft
Dynamics GP is the Account Rollup Inquiry. This feature allows
users to define account ranges and summarize different types of ac-
count balance information such as Actual, Budget, Previous Year,
and Calculated – up to four columns per inquiry option. This also
gives the ability to drill down to individual accounts within a period
for a quick view of account details within that summary.
Use in a variety of cases, such as:
•• Using a calculated field to display the difference
between actual and budget amounts.
•• Monitoring a group of accounts, such
as multiple inventory accounts.
•• Assisting with month-end reconciliations
for AR or AP accounts.
After creating an inquiry option, use the Account Rollup In-
quiry window to summarize a group of accounts at any time for
open or historical years.
To create an Account Rollup Inquiry option:
1 Open the Account Rollup Inquiry window (Inquiry > Fi-
nancial > Account Rollup) and choose Modify to open the
Account Rollup Inquiry Options window.
2 Enter a name for the option.
3 Select the segment to use to sort the information.
4 Select the number of columns of information to display.
5 For each column of information, enter the column heading
and the type of information to display. If Budget or Other
Currency for the type is selected, enter or select the bud-
get or currency to display. If the type Calculated is selected,
choose the Selection lookup button to open the Account
Rollup Inquiry Calculated Column window.
6 Enter restrictions to define the segment ranges to create
this inquiry option for. Multiple ranges for a single seg-
ment can be set up. Choose Save.
16 the Summit 2010.4 :: a publication of Summit Group Software
Meet the Team –
the subsidiary trial balance, start by run-
ning the Reconcile process between Gen-
eral Ledger and Accounts Payable or Ac-
counts Receivable. The potential issues
usually lie in the Unmatched Transaction Matt Bitzegaio
section or sometimes in the Potentially Mathew Bitzegaio joined Summit Group
Matched Transactions section. Software in July 2010 as a Senior Microsoft
If unable to locate the difference Dynamics CRM Consultant. Matt brings
between General Ledger and Accounts with him a broad range of experience in in-
Payable or Accounts Receivable from the frastructure planning, project management,
Reconcile to GL spreadsheet, try to locate business analysis, and software architecture
any transactions which may have been and development. Prior to joining the orga-
entered directly into General Ledger. Go nization, Matt served as the IT Director for
to Inquiry/Financial/Summary or De- a company where he had many diverse du-
tail, restrict the view of transactions for a ties – including leading them through a large
period of time to a source document id of and highly customized Microsoft Dynamics
GJ. “GJ” is the default source document CRM deployment. Matt has a unique perspective and is able to understand proj-
for General Journal entries. ects from the customer’s perspective.
Differences between General Ledger At Summit Group Software, Matt is actively involved in Microsoft Dynamics
and Accounts Payable and Accounts Re- CRM projects which include: Migrating various CRM systems such as Goldmine,
ceivable can also be caused by a variety of home grown systems, and other third-party software applications to Microsoft
Reconcile Help! system issues, which may make it advis- Dynamics CRM; developing and customizing services around Microsoft Dynam-
Question: What steps should I take to able to contact your Microsoft Dynamics ics CRM; performing Business Analysis for customers and creating project scop-
locate differences between my General Led- GP support contact for assistance. There ing documents based on their business needs; implementing Business Application
ger Accounts Payable or Accounts Receivable are other reconcile processes and file Integrations using Scribe and the Microsoft Dynamics CRM to Microsoft Dy-
account and my subsidiary Accounts Payable maintenance for the Financial, Purchas- namics GP Adapter for CRM 4.0; developing applications in .NET (C# and ASP.
(AP) or Accounts Receivable (AR) trial bal- ing, and Sales series that may need to NET); and contributing to business process consulting.
ance? be run, as well as possible posting issues Matt enjoys time with his wife and three children, leads the office football
Answer: First, make sure all transac- which may have led to General Ledger pool so far this season, and appreciates hunting and fishing in the great outdoors.
tions related to AP or AR are posted in the and the subsidiary being out of balance.
General Ledger module. Also, make sure Good Luck! ▲
to add together all General Ledger account
numbers which apply to AP or AR (example:
discount accounts may apply or there may be
other AP or AR accounts being used as dis-
tribution accounts on customer transactions).
Second, ensure comparison of the same
period of time for General Ledger and subsid-
iary balances. The historical AP or AR trial
balance report should be compared to the pe-
riod end General Ledger account balance for
Accounts Payable or Accounts Receivable.
The open AP or AR trial balance report should
be compared to the current General Ledger
account balance for Accounts Payable or Ac-
counts Receivable. Historical subsidiary trial
balance reports contain transactions posted
as of a specific point in time, whereas open
subsidiary trial balance reports contain all
transactions which have been posted prior to
running the report. Be sure that the AP or
AR trial balance report does not contain any
restrictions or exclusions which may not al-
low all applicable transactions to be included,
and that it has the same date range as General
Ledger.
Once it is determined that there truly
is a difference between General Ledger and
888.929.1387 :: SummitGroupSoftware.com 17
 Events Calendar • 2010.4 Date
3.3.11 to 3.4.11
Workshop Type
Classroom
Location
West Fargo, ND
Course
Microsoft Dynamics and Microsoft SQL Reporting Services
3.4.11 Online Microsoft Dynamics CRM - Advanced Find
To register for any of these events, go to SummitGroupSoftware.com and click on Training. 3.7.11 to 3.9.11 Classroom West Fargo, ND Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0 Customization and Workflow Workshop
3.7.11 to 3.9.11 Classroom Chicago, IL Microsoft Dynamics GP 2010 – Distribution
Date Workshop Type Location Course 3.8.11 Online Introduction to Microsoft Dynamics GP - Payables Management
12.13.10 to 12.17.10 Online Introduction to Microsoft Dynamics GP Financials 3.8.11 Online Introduction to Microsoft Dynamics GP - Purchase Order Processing
12.14.10 Online Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 Launch –User Group 3.14.11 to 3.15.11 Classroom West Fargo, ND FRx I Essentials
12.16.10 Classroom Duluth, MN Microsoft Dynamics GP – Year End User Group 3.15.11 Online Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 Launch –User Group
12.16.10 to 12.17.10 Classroom West Fargo, ND Microsoft Dynamics and Microsoft SQL Reporting Services 3.15.11 Online Introduction to Microsoft Dynamics GP - Receivables Management
12.20.10 Classroom West Fargo, ND Marketing in Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0 3.15.11 Online Introduction to Microsoft Dynamics GP - Sales Order Processing
12.20.10 Classroom West Fargo, ND Microsoft Dynamics GP – Year End User Group 3.15.11 to 3.16.11 Classroom Chicago, IL FRx Essentials I
12.21.10 Classroom West Fargo, ND Microsoft Dynamics GP – Year End User Group 3.16.11 to 3.18.11 Classroom West Fargo, ND SharePoint Technologies and Microsoft Dynamics® GP 2010
12.21.10 Online Microsoft Dynamics GP – Year End Closing Process 3.17.11 to 3.18.11 Classroom Chicago, IL FRx Essentials II
12.22.10 Classroom West Fargo, ND Microsoft Dynamics GP – Year End User Group 3.21.11 Online Introduction to Microsoft Dynamics CRM for Service
1.7.11 Online Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 Launch –User Group 3.21.11 to 3.22.11 Classroom Chicago, IL Microsoft Dynamics and Microsoft SQL Reporting Services
1.10.11 Online Introduction to Microsoft Dynamics CRM for Sales 3.22.11 Online Introduction to Microsoft Dynamics GP - Bank Reconciliation
1.10.11 to 1.12.11 Classroom West Fargo, ND SharePoint Technologies and Microsoft Dynamics GP 2010 3.22.11 to 3.23.11 Classroom Chicago, IL Management Reporter for Microsoft Dynamics GP 2010
1.14.11 Online Microsoft Dynamics CRM Advanced Find 3.23.11 to 3.25.11 Classroom Chicago, IL SharePoint Technologies and Microsoft Dynamics GP 2010
1.18.11 to 1.19.11 Classroom Chicago, IL FRx Essentials I 3.28.11 to 3.29.11 Classroom West Fargo, ND Management Reporter for Microsoft Dynamics GP 2010
1.20.11 to 1.21.11 Classroom Chicago, IL FRx Essentials II 3.29.11 Online Introduction to Microsoft Dynamics GP - Fixed Assets
1.20.11 to 1.21.11 Classroom West Fargo, ND Microsoft Dynamics and Microsoft SQL Reporting Services 3.30.11 Classroom West Fargo, ND Marketing in Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0
1.24.11 to 1.28.11 Online Introduction to Microsoft Dynamics GP Financials 3.31.11 to 4.1.11 Classroom West Fargo, ND FRx II Essentials
1.25.11 Online Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 Launch –User Group
1.25.11 to 1.26.11 Classroom Chicago, IL Management Reporter for Microsoft Dynamics GP 2010 To register for any of these events, go to www.summitgroupsoftware.com and click on Training.
Courses subject to change, check the website for the most up to date schedule.
1.27.11 to 1.28.11 Classroom West Fargo, ND Management Reporter for Microsoft Dynamics GP 2010
1.31.11 to 2.2.11 Online Introduction to Microsoft Dynamics GP Distribution
2.1.11 to 2.2.11 Classroom West Fargo, ND Microsoft Dynamics and Microsoft SQL Reporting Services
Making Microsoft Dynamics® GP Work Simpler & Easier
2.2.11 Online Introduction to Microsoft Dynamics GP Table Relationships
2.3.11 to 2.4.11 Classroom West Fargo, ND Business Intelligence for Microsoft Dynamics GP 2010
2.7.11 to 2.11.11 Classroom West Fargo, ND Microsoft Dynamics GP 2010 – Financials
Receive a Free Gift!
2.7.11 Online Introduction to Microsoft Dynamics CRM for Marketing Just mention offer code: SUMMITQ4 and participate in a live product demo
2.9.11 Online Introduction to Microsoft SQL Server Views for Microsoft Dynamics GP for any of our products by March 1, 2011. Ask about FREE trial keys!
2.11.11 Online Microsoft Dynamics CRM - Report Wizard
2.14.11 to 2.15.11 Classroom West Fargo, ND Administration in Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0 Workshop Rockton’s Suite of Products
2.15.11 to 2.16.11 Classroom Chicago, IL FRx Essentials I Auditor
2.16.11 Online Introduction to Smartlist Builder for Microsoft Dynamics GP Security Auditor
2.17.11 to 2.18.11 Classroom Chicago, IL FRx Essentials II
Dynamics GP Toolbox
2.21.11 to 2.23.11 Classroom West Fargo, ND Microsoft Dynamics GP 2010 – Distribution
2.22.11 Online Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 Launch –User Group Dynamics Report Manager
2.22.11 to 2.25.11 Classroom Chicago, IL Microsoft Dynamics GP 2010 – Financials Omni Price
2.23.11 Online Introduction to Views for Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services
SmartFill
2.24.11 Classroom West Fargo, ND Payroll for Microsoft Dynamics GP
2.25.11 Classroom West Fargo, ND Marketing in Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0
2.28.11 to 3.1.11 Classroom West Fargo, ND Management Reporter for Microsoft Dynamics GP 2010
Work Simpler & Easier Visit www.rocktonsoftware.com or call 877-476-2586
3.1.11 Online Introduction to Microsoft Dynamics GP- General Ledger
3.1.11 Online Introduction to Microsoft Dynamics GP – Inventory

18 the Summit 2010.4 :: a publication of Summit Group Software 888.929.1387 :: SummitGroupSoftware.com 19

The Premier Microsoft Dynamics Event

CONVERGENCE 2011
April 10 – 13, 2011 | Atlanta, GA
Convergence is the premier Microsoft Dynamics event where you
can experience the Microsoft Dynamics community in action. This
event offers you a unique opportunity to network with your peers,
partners, Microsoft team members, and industry experts together
to share ideas and knowledge—all in one place. You’ll experience
first-hand how you can use the power of Microsoft Dynamics and
the full range of Microsoft products to optimize your business and
improve your bottom line—now and in the future.

We look forward to seeing you there!