My 17 year review of Microsoft Dynamics SL is nothing but POSITIVE!
Updated April 03, 2015
My 17 year review of Microsoft Dynamics SL is nothing but POSITIVE!
Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Software Version
SL 2011 FP1 Version 8.12.40821.00
Modules Used
- Financial AP, GL, AR
- Project
Overall Satisfaction with Microsoft Dynamics SL
We use Microsoft Dynamics SL as our financial software handling all accounting operations, from daily AP, AR, to GL and as a financial reporting base. We also use the project module to manage our projects. Everything we do in our operation is project centric and this software gives access to all staff on every aspect of each and every project, from hours, to expenses, revenue and AR. We use the core of SL in accounting with each of four accounting/HR staff members having an installed version on our computers. We have eight offices around the country from coast to coast, central and south. Each office has access to our Business Portal or Apps to enter projects, time, expenses and to review each project. We have complete transparency of operations in daily project information. Accessibility is extremely important to our continued success in managing projects. We came from a good number of users all accessing "Solomon" directly to the light user version and we could not be more pleased with performance and daily use.
- AP, AR and GL processing is straight forward and quite efficient. Period posting is a great control of operations.
- Project setup is quite easy for users, as is review and analysis. We manage by budget for each project and have never had an issue or need for additional information
- Time and Expense capturing by employees is painless and efficient. This is highly important to a project centric organization. It meets our needs and users are content.
- 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.
- With the switch to SL 2011 and the use of the Business Portal or APPS we were able to eliminate employee time and effort to data enter what we need for project management. We have been able to drop that admin time by roughly 3 FTEs corporate wide one of which was a full time accounting professional.
- Training time on this product has been streamlined with out of the box functionality. We get better use and greater consistence of data within the structure that we put in place, from drop down lists to tables restricting data entry to what we want to measure. Overall with the uploading of data from 1975 we have a full scope of project information to review as needed in this product. You cannot ask for more than that.
- Data structure is so strong within this product that when we need to pull it out into Excel we know exactly where it lies and how to access. IF we were ever to migrate to some other software, we know what we need and where it is. But since we have been on this product since 1999, I think we will stay.
- Microsoft Dynamics SL has a fantastic USER GROUP that allows me to connect with others in the industry to learn from them and share what I know. I am a strong believer in this power and this product offers just what I need in user group meetings.
I have been on this product for 17 years. I have worked with Great Plains and have worked with products in the Health Care industry and believe this product pulls in all the main functionality into basic core modules and allows users to quickly grasp how to use the product. This also allows for greater efficiencies by all staff who touch this product. I worked as a consultant for the early version of Solomon. As a financial consultant, I had to get into a company and learn quickly the operations on the old software to get them ready for a switch to this one. In the four years of working as a consultant I had seen a good deal of other software that did not match up to the power and extreme efficiency of data flow that SL has. Once users were trained, they agreed.
Microsoft Dynamics SL Feature Ratings
Using Microsoft Dynamics SL
100 - All of our employees have to use this product to enter time and expenses. 80% of employees use this product to review and analyze projects. Everyone has accessibility to the product in the office and remotely which is of great importance to an appraisal consulting firm.
1 - I have to say that I have complete control of the software, from setup to use to upgrades to all reporting, and I have absolutely no issues managing the product. Of course when it comes time to upgrade our IT staff of two get involved but directed by me and our VAR. I think that says a lot to the overall efficiency of the product. Yes I have a few years of experience but it is a great fit.
- Project review and analysis for budget to actual and expenses.
- AR review on each project and with the DocShare feature everyone in the company has access to all invoices generated - JUST IN CASE there are AR issues. And of course we all know that is never a need! :)
- Time and Expense review and approval by management can be done in the office and remotely with the Business Portal and/or Apps.
- With the use of the Business Portal we have been able to setup Docshare giving access to project invoices. We have also added all our dashboard reporting to the portal and use it as our hub.
- We have been able to access all project data in Excel views allowing us to dig into operations with great detail.
- Once the apps are all there, we hope to expand accessibility to our product to the managers and staff who spend most of their time out of the office on the road. Though we can access via VPN the apps look promising.