Microsoft Dynamics SL vs. Unanet ERP for AE vs. Worksection

For a small to mid-size business, MS Dynamics SL is effective. We are capable of managing our finances with a very low risk of error. We have worked with MS Dynamics for almost 15 years and have more than doubled the size of our business in that time with very few issues from the program. We have exponentially increased our revenue and reporting demands and have found SL to be very dependable and stable. The program does have the occasional glitch and those are sometimes outside of the realm of expertise of our IT department. SL support is excellent, but their timeliness is not as urgent as ours.

Incentivized

All of our accounting needs, from Accounts Receivable tools and Accounts Payable have been able to be met and exceeded by the automation tools that Unanet ERP for AE has implemented. Less appropriate is use for Business Development and marketing, of which we have an additional external system to use as a resource.

Incentivized

I can prescribe Worksection for computerized offices, for organizations that consider the season of their representatives and who pitch time to their clients

Incentivized

• 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.

Incentivized

• Timesheets
• Expense Reports.
• Billing

• I like adaptable assignments and subtasks, extended security for errands and remarks (since we are working with our customers inside Worksection) and inherent clock with hourly rates.
• Worksection encourages us to break down complex undertaking into assignments and subtasks, set due dates and control time spent.
• We additionally share reports from Worksection to our customers, it encourages us to assemble straightforward relations with our customers. What's more, we figure pay for our representative in view of these reports.

Incentivized

• Reporting in the Project module is lacking functionality. I understand that most companies have specific needs when it comes to tracking project information but the standard reports are not good.
• I would recommend a product like Management Reporter that is for Projects only. Project Reporter should allow users to pull in all Project related data into reports.
• Fixing suspended batches. Obviously all of us users have experienced this mess. SL knows what needs to be corrected and there could be some step by step fixes in a separate repair module to do the steps we do in Query Analyzer.

Incentivized

• The report module can include more canned reports.

Incentivized

• Issues with composing editorial - must reload page to write
• Old style design
• Unfortunately there is no work area customer, it would be exceptionally valuable. Continually fixing to the Internet, extremely awkward when it isn't. I have this happens all the time. I'm sitting tight for new forms and I trust that I won't be disillusioned.

Incentivized

Unfortunately, Dynamics' lack of ability to smoothly integrate with our CRM system is causing us to look at other solutions. The efficiencies that we gain by using Dynamics for our day to day accounting are lost in the constant headaches of getting sales quotes to import properly into the system for invoicing. Another major issue for us has been budgeting and reporting. We currently do all of our budgeting and board reporting in Excel, which is too time consuming and inefficient, especially when a system as robust as Dynamics should easily be able to handle this relatively simple task.

Incentivized

I rate it a 10 because we have removed the fields we don't need so users can really crank the data into the system. The software was designed for the professional services firm in mind but does a tremendous job for construction firms and "blended" companies that are both distribution firms but project centric as well. Perhaps they drop ship inventory to a project where their employees or subs need to work on a project for example.

Incentivized

I rate Unanet high because overall, it is good at what it does. It is user-friendly, allows my organization to bill properly, and is easily adapted by our staff. The drawbacks of Unanet are that its interface is outdated and it is lacking some reporting options. It also has some small issues regarding timesheets.

We have had only one unplanned outage for 2 hours in the last 30 months. We shut down for 30 min to 1 hour once a month, but that is for Microsoft OS updates to the servers. Being a 24/7 world wide operation, the reliability is really important. We do get an 8 hour window on the weekend that we can be down for a short period to install Microsoft Dynamics SL updates, but we do not have many of those. On our last version upgrade, we shut the users out at 9:30 am and were fully operational in less than 6 hours. The upgrade was New SQL server, New SL server and 2 new Citrix servers.

Incentivized

Support is only used when needed, so unfortunately ,they get all the odd issues. It's a difficult business, but Microsoft and our firm do a great job of meeting customer needs. We get routine feedback that our support services are very good.

Incentivized

Just to let it take its course. The implementation for me once I became a part of my former organization was pretty seamless. Just get to know the basics and call the support team to ask questions if you need help on an issue, should they arise. They are ready, willing, and able to help!

Incentivized

Of the comparable mid-range ERP systems, Dynamics SL competes at the lower end based on price, but also above the high-end based on flexibility, data, and reporting. Being able to stay with the same core accounting from a $100 million dollar company to a $3 billion dollar company shows the range of capabilities.

Incentivized

I prefer InFocus over other products.

Incentivized

I like flexible tasks and subtasks, expanded privacy for tasks & comments (because we are working with our clients inside Worksection) and built-in timer with hourly rates. Worksection helps us to decompose complex project into tasks and subtasks, set deadlines and control time spent.

Incentivized

Since the backbone of the database is MS SQLServer, the database can be easily scaled.

Incentivized

• More time is spent on manipulating reports which can and should be automated.
• Lack of electronic invoicing process and other green technology features creates more cost on printing and storage costs.
• The lack of a user friendly interface requires more training and a bigger learning curve for staff.

Incentivized

• We have seen the most revenue growth in the history of our company every year for the past five years since implementing Unanet ERP for AE.

Incentivized

• With this application, we have essentially enhanced the nature of our work, because everything is organized and reasonable. It is exceptionally advantageous that we can interface the customer to Worksection, which streamlines activities.
• Incredible cost. The greatest arrangement of 250 GB and a boundless number of "ventures", "organizations" and "individuals" on the record, makes this program the most beneficial - now it is $120 every month, considering the markdown when paying yearly. This is finished opportunity and trustworthiness - lead somewhere around 10 distinct organizations and 1000 individuals.

Incentivized