Making your business more productive is one of the main reasons you should want to buy Dynamics GP. With the release of GP 2015 R2 there are a number of new workflows to compliment the workflows introduced in GP 2013 R2 and GP 2015. These workflows streamline the approval process for various repetitive tasks in GP that require more than one person’s approval such as batch processing, vendor management and everyday tasks such as purchase requisitions or purchase order processing. Simplifying and automating processes is one of the many ways Dynamics GP differentiates itself from off the shelf accounting systems.
For illustration purposes I have prepared simple workflow for a typical purchase requisition. I would expect your business requirements might be different from what is shown. In this workflow we can see that four different people or departments can touch a single requisition. Depending on what needs to be purchased, any kind of a slow-down in the process could have an adverse effect on the productivity of your organization. Getting parts for a broken machine might be the last purchase you make if it takes too long to approve the purchase.
In a previous post I covered some of the overall features of Workflows in Dynamics GP. You can visit that page for more details. Some of the main highlights of workflows are:
- Workflow calendar based on operating hours
- Automatic user delegation based on calendar
- Automatic approval escalation
- Notification email with approval link
In the case of purchase requisitions the new notification email is a real time saver. The approver does not even need to be logged into GP in order to approve the request. That feature alone keeps the approvals moving. Maybe that’s why it’s my favorite feature of the workflow process.
Purchase Requisitions may be completed by a light user of Dynamics GP. This is one of the reasons the information required at the time of data entry is minimal. Simply provide the requisition number, date and item description. It is also possible to make a purchase requisition for items that are already in inventory. Sometimes the person making a request knows more about the item being purchased than the purchasing agent who makes the purchase. Luckily GP includes the option to attach documents to the requisition and send those along to the purchasing agent so they have a better idea of what they need to buy. 
For instance the maintenance person can send a picture of the name plate for a piece of equipment making it easier for the purchasing agent to sound smart by being able to answer questions that may come up during the ordering process.
In the simple workflow example shown above the purchase order is listed as the last step in the process. That is mostly correct. When working with Dynamics GP, purchase orders can actually have their own workflow as well. Why are there two workflows? Isn’t that more effort? There are two workflows so that you can separate the need from the business rules that govern spending. The person making a purchase requisition is identifying a purchasing need that requires approval. Even if the need to buy something is approved it doesn’t mean there are available finances to make the purchase.
Here’s one example of why you might want to have two distinct processes: Three employees in different departments all need training that costs $1500 per employee. Each department manager approves the purchase requisition but only the purchasing manager can approve the overall spend. It sounds like someone isn’t going on the course but at least the company doesn’t spend more money than is available for training.
There are a number of steps and settings you need to implement before you can start using purchase requisition workflows. You can find a good description of how to setup this workflow here.
Purchase requisitions are just one of the many more workflows available in Dynamics GP and workflows are just one of the many ways that Dynamics GP makes running your business easier. Whether you are using industry specific software add-ons or automating recurring processes Dynamics GP is going to reduce errors, increase efficiency and make your business run smoother.
Need more productivity?
Please contact me to discuss how automating your workflows and your business will make you and your business more productive: rod@briwaresolutions.com, 844-BRIWARE (844-274-9273).
By Briware Solutions, Dynamics GP Automation Specialists