Since I am a little biased about the value of Microsoft Dynamics GP, I like to hear from others in the community about what they like (and what they don't) about the latest release.  Curt Finch CEO of Journyx gives his perspective.

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New Dynamics GP Features: How We’re Making Them Work for Us (and How You Can, Too!)

Microsoft Dynamics GP 2015 ushered in a slew of changes with its initial release. With the R2 update, there are even more features (many of them focused on assisting with better customer interaction) that continue to make GP one of the leading ERP packages.

If you're still deciding whether or not to upgrade, or you've upgraded and haven't yet taken time to check out the new features, here’s what’s in store with GP 2015 R2.

Purchasing All-in-One View

One of the biggest challenges for many organizations relying on ERP software is trying to find the relevant information from a range of screens, tables and sources. How long it takes to find the relevant information seems to increase directly proportional to the urgency with which the data is needed.

Enter the Purchasing All-in-One View. With this new feature, everything you need to know about a vendor is easily accessible on the same screen. If the vendor is asking for specific information, however, this new feature can be used to display better, and more detailed, information.

"For example, a vendor calls asking about a specific payment," writes Dean Marty for the Dynamics GP Support and Services Blog. "Users will be able to select the vendor and then view all documents related to the payment, such as the PO, receipt, invoice, payment, etc."

Workflow Document Attachment

Another significant new feature is the ability to attach documents that have been associated with various business objects to notification emails. This allows the individual receiving the notification to review the pertinent documents before taking action.

Lucas Miller describes this functionality in more detail: "This, paired with the Workflow Email Action functionality that was previously included in Workflow, will allow an approver to receive a notification email, review the included attachments and approve or reject the document directly within the email.

We’ve also enhanced the Document Attachment Status Inquiry window as a new feature in Microsoft Dynamics GP 2015 R2. This functionality allows you to view when a particular attachment was included in a workflow notification."

Enable Email Functionality on All Sales and Purchasing Document Formats

For companies looking to streamline their communication, R2 offers a welcome improvement in email support for Sales Order documents.

"The Print Options for Sales Orders currently only support email for ‘Blank’ document formats," writes Derek Kainz. "This feature will support email for any document format for all Sales Order documents. The formats now available in Sales are: Blank, Short, Long and Other."

Visual Customer Over Credit Limit

Proving that big things sometimes come in small packages, the “Visual Customer Over Credit Limit” is a seemingly small feature with big implications.

GP 2015 R2 includes the option to enable two checkboxes in the Receivables Setup that will display a visual over credit icon, as well as warn when a customer is over their credit limit.

While this may seem like a small feature, it should prove invaluable to companies looking to tighten things up and be quicker to address customers who are slow about paying.

Dynamics GP 2015 R2 may not be a revolutionary new version, but it is a significant improvement offering a number of new features. Many of these features are based on customer feedback, while others are natural progressions of existing features. In either case, the new features are welcome upgrades that help Dynamics maintain its position as one of the best ERP packages on the market.

About the Author:Curt Finch is the CEO of Journyx, a Certified Microsoft Partner. Journyx maximizes the value of Microsoft Dynamics GP, NAV, AX and SL by adding enterprise time tracking. Journyx Microsoft Dynamics allows companies to quickly implement a complete time tracking solution using existing business data in Dynamics. Connect with Curt on Google+.