Overview
What is Microsoft Dynamics SL?
Microsoft Dynamics SL is one of the ERP products in the Dynamics family. This product was acquired from Solomon 2000. The product is typically used by SMBs, particularly in project-based businesses (e.g. construction). It has strong accounting and project management…
Dynamics SL 2011 - more to be desired!
Non-profit's review of Microsoft Dynamics SL
Project Accounting
Dynamics SL For Project and Crew Based Accounting
Dynamics SL - A strong product for Now and the Future
Microsoft Dynamics SL - Power through Flexibility
My 17 year review of Microsoft Dynamics SL is nothing but POSITIVE!
Microsoft Dynamics SL is quite dynamic!
Great for the Project/Service Oriented Company
Don't Just Sit There, Use Microsoft Dynamics SL Now!
Would not purchase SL today
Dynamics SL-The Right Choice for the Project-Based Organization
Aside from Integration and Reporting, Microsoft Dynamics SL is a Good Small Business Solution
Dynamics SL
Awards
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Popular Features
- Accounts payable (10)7.676%
- Single sign-on capability (9)7.474%
- Standard reports (9)7.171%
- Custom reports (9)6.161%
Pricing
What is Microsoft Dynamics SL?
Microsoft Dynamics SL is one of the ERP products in the Dynamics family. This product was acquired from Solomon 2000. The product is typically used by SMBs, particularly in project-based businesses (e.g. construction). It has strong accounting and project management capabilities.
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Features
Payroll Management
Provides for pay calculation and benefit plan administration, in addition to managing direct deposit, salary revisions and payroll tracking.
- 9.6Pay calculation(2) Ratings
Pay calculation provides for computation of employee pay with state and federal deductions.
- 9Direct deposit files(1) Ratings
Direct deposit is the ability to electronically transfer pay to an employee’s personal bank account.
Customization
This addresses a company’s ability to configure the software to fit its specific use case and workflow.
- 6API for custom integration(6) Ratings
An API (application programming interface) provides a standard programming interface for connecting third-party systems to the software for data creation, access, updating and/or deletion.
- 6Plug-ins(4) Ratings
A number of third-party plug-ins are available to expand the core functionality of the software.
Security
This component helps a company minimize the security risks by controlling access to the software and its data, and encouraging best practices among users.
- 7.4Single sign-on capability(9) Ratings
The software system supports a centralized authentication mechanism allowing the user to access multiple systems with a single, centrally managed password.
- 7.3Role-based user permissions(8) Ratings
Permissions to perform actions or access or modify data are assigned to roles, which are then assigned to users, reducing complexity of administration.
Reporting & Analytics
Users can report on and analyze usage, performance, ROI, and/or other metrics of success.
- 7.1Dashboards(5) Ratings
Users can create, customize and share dashboards, which provide an overview of the most important metrics.
- 7.1Standard reports(9) Ratings
The software offers pre-built reports with metrics standard to the category.
- 6.1Custom reports(9) Ratings
Users can create custom reports.
General Ledger and Configurable Accounting
Financial management solution, including capabilities for general ledger and configurable accounting
- 7.6Accounts payable(10) Ratings
This includes the automation and tracking of payment to vendors and suppliers, with features such as payment scheduling, check printing, open purchase order alerts, document management, direct ACH bill payment, and vendor records.
- 6Accounts receivable(7) Ratings
This includes the management and automation of invoices and collections, with features like statements, invoices, receipts, payment reminders, customer records, auto billing, and refund checks.
- 6Global Financial Support(1) Ratings
Account using multiple ledgers, multiple currencies, and multiple entities
- 6.6Primary and Secondary Ledgers(3) Ratings
Record and report across multiple currencies and accounting standards with primary and secondary ledgers
- 7.4Journals and Reconciliations(3) Ratings
Automate and synchronize ledgers and processes
- 7Configurable Accounting(2) Ratings
Configure accounting rules and segments for each chart of accounts
- 7.3Standardized Processes(2) Ratings
Centralize financial management to facilitate standardized financial processes
Inventory Management
The ability to track and manage the flow of goods or materials into and out of an inventory.
- 6Inventory tracking(5) Ratings
The software syncs orders and stock to maintain a real-time picture of inventory and supports multiple methods such as LIFO and FIFO.
- 1Location management(2) Ratings
The software can track multiple goods across multiple locations.
Order Management
The ability to process orders, and track them from quote to cash.
- 6Pricing(2) Ratings
Users can set up complex and unique pricing requirements.
- 6Order entry(3) Ratings
Users can enter an order once, and the data flows to all the necessary units such as fulfillment and billing.
- 7Credit card processing(2) Ratings
The software facilitates credit card processing.
- 7Cost of goods sold(2) Ratings
The software calculates the direct costs attributable to a finished product, such as materials and labor, and includes roll-up pricing.
Subledger and Financial Process
Revenue management solution including capabilities for subledgers and financial processes
- 6Billing Management(1) Ratings
Access role-based billing work area, perform discrete and recurring billing
- 7.3Cash and Asset Management(3) Ratings
Manage liquidity and cash requirements, asset transfers, disposals, reclassifications, and financial adjustments
- 5Travel & Expense Management(1) Ratings
Enter expenses from mobile devices, integrate credit card and travel booking, configure policy enforcement
- 6.3Budgetary Control & Encumbrance Accounting(2) Ratings
Control spending at any budget level or time interval
- 7.4Period Close(3) Ratings
Sustain fast close with integrated subledgers, intuitive dashboards, embedded collaboration
Project Financial Management
Project financial management solution including capabilities for project budgeting, cost control, billing and contract management.
- 7.3Budgeting and Forecasting(3) Ratings
Establish project budgets and forecast future project financials
- 6.3Project Costing(3) Ratings
Standardize, track, and control costs at all project phases
- 2.1Cost Capture(2) Ratings
Capture costs including those for procurement, financials or time and labor, including from external systems
- 8Capital Project Management(1) Ratings
Track and manage capital asset costs
- 2Project Revenue Recognition(1) Ratings
Recognize project contract revenue in line with accounting policies and regulations
Grants Management
Grants management solution for higher education, public sector, or non-profits with capabilities for managing financial awards for program and project funding
- 6Award Lifecycle Management(1) Ratings
Manage the life of program funding awards from initial funding to close-out
Manufacturing
Manufacturing solution for managing manufacturing processes and costs.
- 6Production Management(1) Ratings
Centralized critical status information for production supervisors
Supply Chain
Supply Chain Planning solution with capabilities for planning, performance monitoring, change responses and execution.
- 6Inventory Planning(1) Ratings
Establish projected inventory levels, monitor actual levels and compare with projected levels
Product Details
- About
- Integrations
- Competitors
- Tech Details
- FAQs
What is Microsoft Dynamics SL?
Microsoft Dynamics SL Integrations
Microsoft Dynamics SL Competitors
Microsoft Dynamics SL Technical Details
Operating Systems | Unspecified |
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Mobile Application | No |
Frequently Asked Questions
Comparisons
Compare with
Reviews and Ratings
(68)Attribute Ratings
Reviews
(1-5 of 5)Dynamics SL For Project and Crew Based Accounting
- Provides flexibility for complex project based cost accounting
- Strong and flexible allocation processer for cost allocations, markups, and pricing
- A "Flexible Billing" module under the project controller series that allows for multiple billing formats ranging from fixed price schedule of values, T&M or Cost Plus, and scheduled billing.
- Flexible reporting with options using Crystal Reports, SSRS, a Quick Query tool, and ability to tie into MS Office tools such as MS Access and MS Excel
- Tight integration with Financials, but also the ability to integrate with modules such as Sales Order, Inventory, and Field Service
- Customization abilities ranging from a VBA (visual basic for application) foundation to allow customizing existing forms to the ability to use the SDK (Software Development Kit) to build more complex customizations that integrate with Dynamics SL.
- Incorporate some functionality provided by third party products into the core product.
- Since Dynamics SL has strong multi company capabilities, incorporate functions to secure projects within a company to certain groups.
- Improve the budgeting, forecasting, and change order interfaces so that the tools are more online.
- Improve the forecasting capabilities to include more robust and integrated tie in to the project EAC/ETC (Estimate at Completion/Estimate to Complete) numbers. This would allow project revenue/margin/cash forecasting.
- Expand on the subtask concept
- Improve the interface for multi level rate entry for pricing and cost allocations such that more security can be applied and reduce risk of inadvertent changes.
- Accounts payable
- 100%10.0
- Accounts receivable
- 100%10.0
- Inventory tracking
- 90%9.0
- Location management
- 90%9.0
- Pricing
- N/AN/A
- Order entry
- N/AN/A
- Credit card processing
- N/AN/A
- Cost of goods sold
- N/AN/A
- Pay calculation
- 100%10.0
- Dashboards
- 80%8.0
- Standard reports
- 80%8.0
- Custom reports
- 100%10.0
- API for custom integration
- 100%10.0
- Plug-ins
- 100%10.0
- Role-based user permissions
- 100%10.0
- Single sign-on capability
- 100%10.0
- Faster Closing Cycle
- Improved Reconciliation Tools
- Accurate and Timely Revenue Recognition
- Implemented in-house
Dynamics SL-The Right Choice for the Project-Based Organization
We are much happier with the web apps having moved off of the business portal time entry tool which was extremely slow and time consuming.
We use Dynamics SL across the whole organization and everyone enters a timecard. We use the software for expense reporting and evaluating which were good projects and bad, which tasks were good and which were bad. We use the software to help us make better estimates on future similar projects.
We've used Dynamics SL the entire 20 years we've been in business and really love it.
- Facilitates Time Entry from any device.
- Facilitates billing with "Allocator" which is really a transaction creator-creating billing records from time cards using unique rules
- Simplifies the review of draft invoices-making transactions not ready to be billed yet default to the next billing period so revenue does not "leak".
- When we have a lot of invoices rather than just a few large invoices, we can be frustrated by how long it takes Flexible Billings to generate a lot of invoices
- It would be nice if Dynamics SL had an easy integration to some of the nicer salestax tools such as Avalara and CCH.
- It would be nice if the fixed assets module and electronic banking were not third party.
Dynamics SL, like Dynamics NAV has a tremendous toolset for customizing. If you allow the customizing to occur-make sure that you have the staff or budget to support lots of customizations as the mods do make support and upgrading a bit more challenging.
- Less time needs to be invested to create invoices from timecards.
- Project profitability is right there for you to review as the whole product is "project-centric"-we do less of the work that tends to lose us money and more lucrative work.
- The ease with which we are able to hide unwanted fields makes data entry simple.
- The intuitive naming of the tables makes report writing much easier than most accounting/ERP products.
We have a lot of Dynamics SL experience on staff so if anything bad were to happen we could fix it right away. Fortunately this has not happen in a long time. Microsoft has improved the testing process on this product so that service packs and new version are cleaner.
- Time Card Entry
- Time Card Approval
- Billing transactions that get generated automatically from time cards.
- We charge trip charges based on distance to clients offices in Flexible Billings
- We've created SQL Reporting Services reports that red, yellow and green light utilization from services professionals on the team.
- We use Quick Queries to fetch worked, billed, and realized time for all.
- We could use the purchasing and inventory modules better
- We could integrate with nice requisitions products such as Paramount's Workplace.
- We could share our nice project accounting data with clients on a portal that is part of SharePoint.
- Price
- Product Features
- Product Usability
- Prior Experience with the Product
- Vendor Reputation
- Implemented in-house
- Professional services company
- Finding time to work on it while doing the rest of our work
- Configuring the allocator module to default exactly what we needed into the draft invoices
- Getting every one to enter time weekly-no exceptions.
- Integrating sales order lines with project revenue and costs is unmatched.
- Having project costs and revenues entered from any screen is extremely handy. You can make a Journal Entry to a project-updating both project and task
- Hiding fields, making fields required, even creating your own screens and reports with the toolset are easy relative to most accounting software/ERP solutions.
- Archiving data to a data warehouse if custom tables and custom programs have been added.
- Transaction Import is not quite as easy to use as other transaction importing tools-but it's free.
- Modifying some of the project accounting reports in Crystal is a bit difficult at times.
Aside from Integration and Reporting, Microsoft Dynamics SL is a Good Small Business Solution
- Controls - Administrators can set very specific user roles and allow access to only the modules and screens that an employee needs. As far as accounting controls, the system does not allow you do delete items, manually adjust sub-ledgers, or other things that might raise red flags to auditors.
- Multi-Currency - We use three different currencies, and Dynamics allows us to easily create journal entries, raise sales invoices, and receive payments in any of those currencies. The system automatically converts other currencies to the home currency for reporting purposes based on Fx rates that you enter each month. Any payments received in other currencies are applied to the invoice and then any gain or loss on the exchange is automatically booked to the Realized Gain/Loss account.
- Subaccounts - Subaccounts/Classes/Dimensions are easy to set up for each GL account. You can control the combinations of subaccounts and accounts that are used to prevent users from accidentally keying invalid combinations. You can run reports on subaccounts to see all revenue or expenses for a specific subaccount.
- Not Intuitive - A lot of the functionality of Dynamics is not intuitive. For example, when you are on a field where you can enter information from a pick list, you have to hit F3 to show the list. Once you get used to it, it's no big deal, but the initial learning curve is pretty high if you are trying to learn it on your own.
- Reporting - The reporting feature is another area that is just not intuitive. There are a lot of canned reports that are separated by module, but you have to know how to use the feature to even get a basic report to work properly. I've been on the system for almost 10 years and I there are still some basic reports that I struggle to run if they're not ones that I use regularly (ex. an Aged A/R or customer statement for a single customer). The export to Excel leaves a lot to desire as well since the reports always have to be reformatted manually to even be usable.
- Integration with other Systems - We use a separate CRM and quoting system to track customers and create sales quotes. Once the quotes are created, they have to be imported into Dynamics using a integration tool. The import crashes frequently and there are a lot of bugs.
- Sales Tax - Dynamics does allow for the use of sales tax, but it is not very robust. We use a third party to import sales tax rates every month. Our sales tax is a little more complex than what the system can handle so we end up doing a lot of manual adjustments and double check every invoice before it is processed.
- Since our company is relatively small, Dynamics has been a good option for us since we need a package that is more complex and robust than something like QuickBooks, but we aren't big enough to warrant spending all the money on a solution like Oracle or SAP. The overall return on investment has been good.
- QuickBooks Online,QuickBooks Pro,FinancialForce Accounting
FinancialForce may be a good option if you are looking for something that is on the Force.com platform. If you are already a Salesforce.com user and are looking for an accounting system, this may be the way to go. However, if you already have a good accounting system, I would not suggest making the switch to FinancialForce. My experience with it so far has been that it was designed by engineers as a solution for people using Salesforce, not as an accounting system. There are many red flags right out of the box, and customization seems to be far more difficult than initial expectations. For example, the system does not use debits and credits, but rather positives and negatives. This is mind blowing for an accountant! Out of the box, there are three screens to click through just to create a journal entry. Reporting falls anywhere from difficult to impossible. My CFO recently spent the better part of a week trying to run a YTD Trial Balance. Again, mind blowing that this is being called an accounting system.
Dynamics definitely feels like a much truer accounting system than either of the other products that I've worked with.
SL Review for Direct Sales Companies
Additionally, we also use SL in the Accounting Department for GL, AP, AR, and Fixed Assets (this is an add on module).
- It is very robust in the Project Modules. There are many different ways to use Project functions and many companies like the flexibility of having it be stand alone or integrated with other modules.
- The web piece, Business Portal, is also a valuable asset to SL. While not having every function that the regular program has, BP allows users who may not need the full install to do day to day functions like time and expense entry, check reports, etc.
- The Accounting Modules are pretty straight forward. While SL itself is lacking in many of the standard reports, there are add on pieces to make this easier. FRx in versions past, and now BI360. Both are excellent options.
- A standard Fixed Assets module would be wonderful. While there is a piece out there as a third party, bringing that in house would be a giant step in the right direction.
- Process Manager can be cumbersome and difficult to use. There are many mysteries as to when it's going to process records, aside from the midnight. Additional options in set up to push types of jobs at specific intervals would be an amazing option to have, as well as perhaps a process flow somewhere of what it's looking for and priority that it's processing requests. Even Microsoft hasn't been able to answer all of this very well when asked for clarification!
- A more user friendly way to customize SL would be great. Seeing products like AX that have a more advanced customization piece in place makes me very envious. SL seems to be a little behind in keeping up with this.
- A mobile solution for a direct sales type company. We struggle with wanting consultants to go mobile, but the foundation isn't there for it to be done easily. From what I have seen, SL is behind in moving into the mobile era for retail businesses. It's possible but again requires third parties and getting the data back into SL can be clunky and tedious.
If the customer is looking for mobile solutions there are better options out there. If they are looking for basic order processing, warehouse functions, and accounting, then SL may be a good fit.
- We paid a partner an obscene amount of money for an upgrade almost a year ago, and almost every part of it has gone badly. We are STILL finding problems that didn't exist before the upgrade happened. Our partner has been somewhat attentive at certain issues, and not at all with others. It's been very frustrating to shell out more funds for support and still having problems that we were told would be 'fixed.'
- Easy: Time and Expense Entry in Project.
- Easy: Basic Document creation in Financial Modules
- Easy: Running reports.
- Knowing which order to do what step in some of these modules can be tricky for someone who is not familiar with how SL works.
- Setting up Projects to integrate with the Financial Modules and getting all pieces in place for FTT to run properly.
Dynamics SL Partner Review
- SL Dynamics has a deep background in project costing. For over 15 years, the product has focused on this type of business and added deep functionality. We have many government contractor and other professional services firms that run their business a project at a time and SL is a great fit.
- SL also has strong multi company accounting capability. One of our customers has 52 entities. Due to and Due From accounting is automatically managed. Cost allocations to entities is quite strong. Users can work in more than one company at a time.
- SL also has deep functionality for distributors. Inventory, Sales order and purchasing are quite strong. For firms that have inventory and also are project oriented, it is one of the few products that manage both functions in a single system.
- Core financial accounting is also strong and there are many add on products that enhance the capability of the product.
- Because the product has been used in Windows since the mid-90s, there is a lot of feature depth. This sometimes gets in the way of customers with simple needs. Training can usually address this concern.
- The application is client server at this time, so it can be hosted in the cloud using Terminal Services. Web enabled functions are starting to be released in the last year and more are to come, so in a few years, the product will be browser based.
- The payroll module (used by less than 10% of our customers) could be easier to use and needs some new features, but it is a 3.5 out of 5.
- Microsoft doesn't have a good budget solution, but there are good products from Solver (BI360) that do a great job of addressing complex budgeting needs.
- The main reports in SL are Crystal and SSRS. Third party tools for simple reporting are available to help get data out. The new Smart Reports address this need also.
There are other distribution solutions that are easier to use, so it might not be the first choice for that type of firm.
Payroll and HR are not the strongest in this product so a company that needed the best in that area, might look at Dynamics GP.
For Professional Services firms, it is an excellent choice!! One of the best.
- Dramatic improvement in our ability to judge the profitability of jobs.
- Lots of improvements in delivering invoices and statements to customers.
- Automated AP approvals and imaging made our last tax audit a breeze.
- Ease of reporting data is a big plus. Financial statements with drill down capability are very useful.
- One integrated system means less data moving around and more real time information.
- EFT payments, email statements and live linked Excel charts have improved our efficency
- Too many more to name.
We looked at GP but it does not have good project accounting, so it was not a good fit for our company.
We looked at NAV but there was too much customization required.
We used to use MAS 200, but the database was proprietary and the technology was very old and slow to change.
Deltek is used by many firms in our business, but feedback from customers that changed to Dynamics SL led us to avoid that choice.
We also looked at SAP Business One, but the product had weak job costing and limited functionality.
- Project costing and analysis
- Corporate financials
- Expense reimbursements to employees
- Email distribution of invoices and statements
- Inventory and product billing
- Excel reports for Top customers by year and all to date
- Completely paperless expense reports with EFT payments direct to employee banks accounts
- Project alerts and other alerts for out of bounds conditions and proactive analysis
- Cloud deployment with no on site servers or equipment/software.
- More integrated document storage and approval
- Web based budgeting system
- Automated email distributions of statements to internal Project Managers and Executives based on past due automated testing
- Additional alerts to internal staff.