Product Suggestions for Microsoft Dynamics

Got a suggestion to make the product better? Go here to log your suggestions (or complaints, rants, raves, etc). It's about time Microsoft has something like this. https://connect.microsoft.com/dynamicssuggestions Make your voice count! Microsoft is listening!
Posted by Alex Chow with 1 comment(s)
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Average Cost to Implement Dynamics NAV (Navision)

First of all, there are no 2 businesses that are exactly the same. I don't care if they're in the same industry, if the owners are siblings, and/or if they live in the same household. Companies are as unique as the fingerprints of the owners that run them. As such, no 2 implementations are exactly the same. This is because the people that work inside the companies are unique. They live the company culture that are defined by their managers. And the company culture are as unique as the personalities...

How to calculate COGS on Account Schedules (The CPA Way)

When a purchase of inventory is made, 4 accounts are hit: Inventory A/P Purchases Direct Cost Applied When the items are sold, 4 accounts are hit: Inventory A/R Sales COGS In this case, the COGS is automatically calculated and posted to your COGS account. The COGS posted by NAV is ALWAYS correct. Don't assume otherwise. Typically, when a CPA (Certified Public Accountants) report COGS, it's calculated and displayed based on the following formula: Beginning Inventory + Purchases - Inventory...
Posted by Alex Chow with 4 comment(s)

Dynamics NAV (Navision) Can Solve All of Your Business Pains!

Dynamics NAV (Navision) can do anything for your business. Yep, you heard it right. Implementing Dynamics NAV (Navision) can solve all of the problems for your company. It's true! Since working with Dynamics NAV (Navision) in 1999, I have never encountered a business problem that cannot be solved in Dynamics NAV. Compliance? No problem. Reporting? No problem. Unique business processes? No problem. AND! Implementing Dynamics NAV will solve your company's problems within a reasonable budget...

Accounting Cost vs. True Cost

In Microsoft Dynamics NAV, when doing costing and profitability analysis, you need to differentiate between a transaction's True Cost and Accounting Cost. Don't bother looking up these terms in the manual, I made them up for a lack of better terms. To better explain the difference between True Cost and Accounting Cost, we will use this example: 8/15/08 - Item A was received at 10 pieces for $2.00 each. 8/30/08 - 6 pieces of item A was sold for $5.00 per piece 9/1/08 - The vendor invoice for...
Posted by Alex Chow with 1 comment(s)

Where do you put the Customer PO No.?

In Dynamics NAV 5.0SP1, the caption for Your Reference has been changed to Customer PO No. For us, we've always used External Document No. to store the Customer PO No. on the sales order. It's obvious that the change in 5.0 SP1 was done due to partner requests. I just want to get your opinion on where you put the Customer PO No. when entering a sales order. Please vote here: http://dynamicsuser.net/forums/t/23238.aspx

My Microsoft Conundrum

First of all, let me state that I'm a amateur investor in the stock market. I have a discipline when it comes to stock investing in that I look for companies with good products and/or strong management. One of the major holdings I have is Microsoft (MSFT), in fact, my Microsoft stocks takes up about 20% of my portfolio. As an investor, I want to see the stock shoot up and demostrate increased sales of the product quarter after quarter. Likewise, I want to see the profit increase quarter after...

Etiquette for Contractors Dealing with Solution Centers and Vice Versa

Just thought I post some etiquette for Solution Centers (NSC) and contractors when dealing with each other. For Contractors: 1. There's no such thing as job security when you're a contractor. If you want security, find a full time position at a NSC. 2. Do not set your rates based on how much the NSC charges their customers. Figure out a market rate for your skillset and make it fixed. 3. Contractors are used only for the short term. If you want long term, find a full time position at a NSC...

Warning about Upgrading to NAV 5.0 from 3.x and 4.x

This will only apply if the following is true: 1. You're upgrading from 3.x or 4.x to 5.0 2. You're using average cost 3. You have the Avg. Cost Calc type to Item&Variant&Locatoin IF you are using Average Cost and IF your Average Cost Calc. Type is Item & Location & Variant, when you upgrade to 5.0. The cost calculation type will be set to ITEM. At this point, DO NOT RUN ADJUST COST!!! It will calculate your average by ITEM for all historical transactions irregardless if you...

Sharing the Item table in version 5.0

If you're in an environment where you have multiple companies setup and each company uses the same items, you might be tempted to share the item table across all companies. In versions prior to 5.0, you can get away with this since the Adjust Cost process are done using the Item Ledger and Item Application Entry table. When inventory is taken out, it'll use the proper average cost when the Adjust Cost process is ran. However, in version 5.0, they introduced the Avg. Cost Adjmt. Entry Point...
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Abnormal Posting Dates

Abnormal posting date entries happens when the Posting Date of the receipt/shipments of inventory is after the Posting Date of the invoice. Why does this happen? You'll need to ask your CFO or Controller. Typically, I found this more in return orders where the receipt of the product is a certain date, and the accounting department decides to post the credit memo in prior dates. Either by mistake or intentional, if this happens, your Inventory Valuation will not tie to your G/L. Here's a step...

Entering Beginning Inventory Balance

When moving from a legacy system into Dynamics NAV (Navision), one of the areas you want to try and avoid is messing with the inventory G/L accounts. Most systems are usually pretty good with open A/R and A/P accounts, they can be transferred using the "posting back to the same account" technique that most implementers do. The beginning A/R and A/P G/L accounts would be based on your entry on the General Journal. This is assuming that the A/R and A/P aging reports matches the G/L. Inventory...

Question of Morality?

A few weeks ago, a CFO that recently joined his company called us up asking to quote Microsoft Dynamics NAV to them. This company had gone through a couple of management changes, got sold to another company, and then resold again to a group of private investors. Needless to say, none of the current employees have been there very long. It just so happens that the CFO had used Navision before and loves it very much. He had gotten several quotes from different solution centers which were all about the...

How to Print to local printer using RDP

This is a poor man's way of having users connect remotely and allowing them to print locally. Using RDP, you will not have to spend money on an expensive product like Citrix unless you really have to. Note that Citrix is a great product, but it's out of reach for customers who have limited IT budget. 1. On the remote computer check to make sure the “Printers” box is checked on the “Local Resources” tab of the “Remote Desktop Connection”. 2. On the server install the printer driver that the...
Posted by Alex Chow with 6 comment(s)

Why you have Negative Inventory Value with 0 Quantity – Navision 3.7b to Navision 5.0

Here are a couple of reasons why you would get inventory value if you have 0 quantities when you print Inventory Valuation report and Inventory to G/L Reconcile report as of a certain date. Scenario 1: If the adjust cost is processed on 7/31/07, and the Allow Posting From was 7/1/07 on General Ledger Setup, the following would occur: 6/15/07 - Purchase Receipt - $10 6/28/07 - Ship and Invoice - $10 7/15/07 - Purchase Invoice - $12 7/31/07 - Additional Cost for the sale made on 6/28/07 - $2 In this...